Mar 12:41-44
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift itself, but by the motivation. Jesus valued the small offering of this poor widow over the large sums of money from the wealthy people. Jesus knew that she had given all she had and that her heart was in the right place.
David, psalmist and king of Israel, said he would not give to the Lord that which cost him nothing. We are not to give our leftovers to God. Is it too much to ask us to give our best to him since he gave his best to us when he sent us his own Son to die in our place?
Our attitude toward giving should be like that of the believers in Macedonia, who eagerly came to the aid of the church in Jerusalem during its time of need: "For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem" (Corinthians 8:3-4).
When you consider how much of your income should be spent on God's work, remember this promise from the book of Proverbs: "The generous will proper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed" Proverbs 11:25).
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift itself, but by the motivation. Jesus valued the small offering of this poor widow over the large sums of money from the wealthy people. Jesus knew that she had given all she had and that her heart was in the right place.
David, psalmist and king of Israel, said he would not give to the Lord that which cost him nothing. We are not to give our leftovers to God. Is it too much to ask us to give our best to him since he gave his best to us when he sent us his own Son to die in our place?
Our attitude toward giving should be like that of the believers in Macedonia, who eagerly came to the aid of the church in Jerusalem during its time of need: "For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem" (Corinthians 8:3-4).
When you consider how much of your income should be spent on God's work, remember this promise from the book of Proverbs: "The generous will proper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed" Proverbs 11:25).