Giving It All
Mark 12:41-44 reminds us about giving to GOD. Picture with me, if you will, the people around the temple. . .watching. . .listening to those who would bring their offering and drop it into the offering box. They're nodding their heads in approval, smiling at each other in agreement when the wealthy people dropped their many heavy coins down the copper, trumpet-shaped receptacles. I can also see these same people lowering their head as they shake them from side to side, tsking each other as to say, "that poor woman," when the widow dropped her measly mite into the same offering box.
Yet. . .Jesus took notice of both the amount that was given and the amount of sacrifice that was made. He recognized, like everyone else, the difference in the amount of the gifts. No doubt He, too, heard the great coins being offered by the rich. He also heard the tinkle of the mite as it trickled down towards it's final destination. But Jesus saw more than just the amount. In typical Jesus fashion, he looked past the obvious - the amounts given - to the hidden, the motivation with which each was offered. The wealthy gave out of their excess. They gave out of their left overs. The widow gave out of what she had - period.
Jesus said she gave all she had to the Lord. In fact He said she gave out of her poverty - all she had to live on.
So what about me Lord? Do I give you out of my wealth - my leftovers? Is that what you're getting from me - leftovers? Or do I offer to you out of my poverty - whatever I have?
And I don't think it has to do with just money here. Do I give of my time? Do I give of my stuff? Do I offer up my talents? What am I holding back, Lord? What needs to change in my life Lord? What attitudes need to change or be eliminated so I can give all I have to you and for you?
Mike
Yet. . .Jesus took notice of both the amount that was given and the amount of sacrifice that was made. He recognized, like everyone else, the difference in the amount of the gifts. No doubt He, too, heard the great coins being offered by the rich. He also heard the tinkle of the mite as it trickled down towards it's final destination. But Jesus saw more than just the amount. In typical Jesus fashion, he looked past the obvious - the amounts given - to the hidden, the motivation with which each was offered. The wealthy gave out of their excess. They gave out of their left overs. The widow gave out of what she had - period.
Jesus said she gave all she had to the Lord. In fact He said she gave out of her poverty - all she had to live on.
So what about me Lord? Do I give you out of my wealth - my leftovers? Is that what you're getting from me - leftovers? Or do I offer to you out of my poverty - whatever I have?
And I don't think it has to do with just money here. Do I give of my time? Do I give of my stuff? Do I offer up my talents? What am I holding back, Lord? What needs to change in my life Lord? What attitudes need to change or be eliminated so I can give all I have to you and for you?
Mike
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