Today I made pancakes for breakfast. Although this may not seem to be of any significance whatsoever, let me assure you that it was. But it wasn't so much about the pancakes--it was about the syrup.
You see I had purchased some syrup a few weeks back. Not just any old syrup--maple syrup. The real deal. The kind that costs 3 times the amount of what kids typically think of as syrup, but comes in a bottle that is 1/3 the size.
I had managed to keep the syrup under wraps (or so I thought) for some time. It was shoved all the way to the back of a kitchen cabinet that was already stuffed to the gills with what I hoped were deterrents to prevent foraging around and finding my stash. Earlier this week I had sacrificed some of its contents to use as a sweetener for me and my 6-year old. Then back to the bowels of the cabinet it went.
As you can probably tell, authentic maple syrup is a rarity in our household. This is for the following reasons:
1. It's super expensive
2. The limited number of uses our family gets from a product like this does not justify me purchasing it
However, after recently changing the way I eat, I wanted to substitute maple syrup as a sweeter in some of my foods. Giant had it on sale and I jumped at the opportunity. But I wanted to ensure that my treasure would be safe.
Fast forward to today. I make pancakes. I don't want anyone but me to have the precious syrup. My plan: put the regular syrup on the table for everyone to see. Take my pancakes into the kitchen to put "the precious" onto them. Then sit at the breakfast table enjoying my pancakes in sweet bliss.
Enter my husband. "Thanks for making the pancakes, Hon. Ooh! I just remembered, we have maple syrup!"
I bristled. He remembered! And he remembered because I told him about how I had just caught the tail end of the sale at Giant. WHY!!! My secret was out. The dream was dead.
Seeing my dejection my husband challenged me. "So are you keeping this to yourself?"
I explained my plans for the syrup and my now disappointment knowing what would become of it--an empty bottle by sundown.
He looked at me amused. "You know you're wrong."
These weren't his exact words but it was the gist of them. And I was...wrong. This is how I later thought about it: I had purchased the maple syrup to improve my health and ultimately live better. But what about the people I love? Don't I want them to live better? If they want something that I have and I know it is good for them, why wouldn't I share it with them?
This scenario makes me think about my life as a Christ follower. As a believer in Jesus Christ I have the One who makes my life better, richer, purposeful. When I am unwilling to share with others what is precious to me, I am being selfish. Holding back that sweet, quality relationship so that I can have it all for myself. I know I'm wrong.
So, I relented. I let my hubby pour all the maple syrup he wanted on his pancakes without (openly) giving him the hairy eyeball. I even kept my composure when he offered some to our 6-year old (who didn't like the taste and opted for good 'ole high fructose corn syrup).
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3 & 4
In a nutshell, share to show you care.
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