Too Much Mulch! It's a Gift...

I over-ordered mulch for our landscaping. Again.

We live on a very windy hill, and the winter winds blow our landscaping mulch every which way.  If you could put a GPS on mulch,  our entire neighborhood would glow on the satellite images with the note, "mulch blown over from that guy on the corner lot."

Anyway, I really just needed some topsoil this spring, but I ordered extra mulch out of habit. I mean, when have I not needed mulch? Well, I didn't need this much.

So, I told the neighbors to the side of me, 'please, feel free to wheelbarrow as much mulch as you like.' But they had some ordered already. 'Cancel the order,' I suggested hopefully.  But, their mulch plan was firmly entrenched.

And so I continued telling neighbors one by one.  They had their own, or felt funny about taking mine.

Finally, I caught up with a neighbor who had been out of town, and he gladly agreed to use whatever I could not. In fact, he said he had under-ordered mulch, whereas I had over-ordered.  'But, I want to pay for the share I use,' he generously offered.

'Not necessary,' I replied, 'you're actually doing me a favor.' And I meant it. He looked a bit uncomfortable with those terms, but we left it at that.  Now the mulch is off my driveway and his landscaping looks great. I sincerely hope he doesn't follow up with cash for what I intended as a gift. I was really happy with the way it turned out.

Question though: Have I ever gone to that much trouble to share the gift of the gospel with these same neighbors? Literally stopping them in their yard - or crossing the street to say, 'I know where you can get wheelbarrows and wheelbarrows full of Grace. It never runs out. The wind never blows it away. And, it's unconditionally free. A gift that you only have to receive.'

No - because they look like they probably don't need it. I see their cars drive away on Sunday morning, presumably to the church of their choice. They seem like kind, upstanding citizens. It might be awkward, me talking about the free gift of eternal redemption. Something that could change their lives, or their extended friends and family.

It was the last person I talked to that accepted the mulch. His yard looked great before we talked. It looks even better now. I'm glad we had the chance to talk. I'm even happier he chose to accept the neighborly gift.

What do you believe?