We live in an “all-or-nothing” society. Unfortunately, this often translates to “If you can’t do as good as the person next to you then don’t even try”. Your “all” may look a lot different than your neighbor’s “all”, or your sister’s “all”, or your best friend’s “all”.
Consider the story of the women who gave two coins and the rich people who gave “large amounts”.
“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 all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44.
While the rich gave a lot, the poor woman gave more because she gave her all.
We often times feel like what we have isn’t enough to be used. We feel like what we will contribute won’t make a difference. We can’t feed every homeless person we drive by everyday so we don’t stop at all, for any of them. We can’t financially sponsor a child for a year or adopt an orphan so we don’t take a meal to a family who is fostering or volunteer to babysit the foster kiddo so they can have a break!
Consider the story of the boy with the fish and loaves.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.” John 6:5-13.
We tend to feel like what we can offer isn’t “good enough”, forgetting that it’s not up to us. We simply must give and let Jesus do the multiplying. That way He gets the glory, not us.
“After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “surely this is the prophet who is to come in to the world” John 6:14.
Notice they didn’t say “surely this little boy who gave what he had is here to save us.”
Then there is another side to this coin, and that is saving our “best”, and giving God the “rest”. Some of us give all our talents and time and money and resources to others. We give them to organizations and companies. We give them to friends and family. While none of those things are “wrong” or “sinful”, we are giving God what is left over after a lot of giving.
Consider Mary giving her oil from her alabaster box to wash Jesus’ feet.
“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poo? It was worth a year’s wages…. “Leave her alone”, Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me”. John 12: 3-5 and 7-8.
We know now Judas wasn’t actually concerned with helping the poor but that’s another blog post for another day.
Mary gave the very best of what she had to Jesus. Ya’ll, a YEAR’S WORTH OF WAGES. Sister was not holding anything back. I want to be like that. I want Jesus to get the very best of me, all of me, all the time, without hesitation. Sometimes ( I dare say most of the time ) that does look like serving others, and giving our time and talents and money to others, but HOW we give and Why we give has to be in What we give. Are we serving with a happy heart. Happy to pour out all of our oil at the feet of Jesus.
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