Jesus was a bit of a people watcher. There are several examples of Jesus observing the attitudes and actions of the people of His day available to us throughout the gospels. Several immediately come to mind, but one story in particular has always been extremely challenging to me. The story is known as The Widow’s Offering. It can be found in the gospels of Luke and Mark. Here is the telling of the story from Mark 12:41-44.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.
As a young boy, I watched a similar situation unfold with a man in my church. It is forever etched into my mind and consistently challenges me to evaluate my patterns of giving, first and foremost to the mission of God through my local church, but also my patterns of giving to various community agencies who assist us in loving neighbor as self. Like all churches, the church of my youth collected an offering every Sunday. As a song was played or sung, offering plates were passed up and down the aisles. One Sunday, as the plates were making their way through the crowd, a man to my left captured my attention. It was apparent that this man was not “well-off.” His hair was unbrushed and messy and there was dirt on his face and hands. He was wearing an old sports coat that had clearly seen better days and was in need of more than a few repairs.
“The good Lord must need a little extra this week and I’m happy to have something more to give.”
As the offering plate drew near to this man, I watched as he pulled a wallet out of the inside pocket of his jacket. The wallet was bulging from all of the coins it held. He held the offering plate with one hand as he fumbled with his wallet in the other hand. One by one, he began pulling coins out and placing them gently and intentionally in the plate. I noticed that he was only offering quarters, leaving the smaller coins behind. As he rummaged around to assure he’d given all he intended, his wallet fell to the floor sending coins in every direction. The man placed the plate on the pew and got down on his knees and began collecting the coins. But, rather than putting them back into his wallet, he scooped them up and placed them in the plate as well. When one of our pastors approached to help the man, I heard the man say, “The good Lord must need a little extra this week and I’m happy to have something more to give.”
This man demonstrated the same grace and faith of the widow. Even before he began scooping up handfuls of coinage off the floor, he was intentionally seeking out his most valuable coins he had to give. When his coins spilled onto the floor, he didn’t treat it as an inconvenience, but as an invitation to offer even more. He viewed the opportunity to give as a blessing to be celebrated, not as an obligation to be endured. He freely and joyfully offered from his limited resources, trusting that God would use what was offered in meaningful ways.
Giving should be seen as a blessing, not as a burden.
Giving should be seen as a blessing, not as a burden. When we give, our limited resources grow in their potential impact as they are combined with those given by others. Giving allows us to play an important role in making a difference in the world, both for the good of others and for the glory of God. It allows us to reflect the character of God who not only gives us what we need physically, but provides what we need spiritually by His grace through giving His own life through Jesus.
What gift might you have to offer? How might God be leading you to contribute to His work in our community and around the world? There are many good churches in Seymour and beyond that would be more than happy to receive your gifts and use them for sharing the gospel and caring for the community. There are many organizations like the United Way, Clarity, Anchor House, Community Provisions, the Clothing Center, and more that are working diligently to care for the under-served and often unseen in our world. May we not miss the opportunity to make a difference in our world through the gifts we could give. Whether great or small, the gifts we give matter and can make a big difference in the world, both for the good of others and for the glory of God.
