How are you, Reader? Did you have a good Thanksgiving holiday? Our family celebrated at home, and we hosted another family. We had good food, good conversation, and we had fun playing games together. God has blessed us with plenty, and it is easy to give out of our blessings. I believe He expects us to give to others. After all, He is not stingy with me.

As we pack up the fall decor and unpack the Christmas decorations, I am meditating even more on giving. Recently, I heard a sermon based on the poor woman in Mark 12:41-44.

“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

The focus of the sermon being taught was how we can give generously to others, even when we don’t have much, because of the thankfulness that flows from our joy in Jesus. God has loved us much, so it becomes natural to care for others. The phrase that the speaker kept repeating was, “She gave out of her poverty.”

When I was a girl, I heard the story of the poor woman, and the next Sunday I put all my change in the offering plate. If God loved a cheerful giver, I wanted to be one. I still want to be one, but as I meditate on this short account in Mark, I understand that the underlying lesson is far more than generosity. The Jews tithed. All God required for His treasury was ten percent of their income. So what made the poor woman’s offering different?

I remember what Jesus said on another occasion. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

At Christmas, we remember how God gave out of His abundance, but unlike the rich people in Mark, God gave all. Jesus came to bring the kingdom of heaven to those who are poor in spirit. The angels announced His birth to the lowliest of their society–shepherds. The poor in spirit recognize they have nothing apart from God. They give Him everything they have, out of their poverty, and they receive all that belongs to Him.

Any time I give to God out of my abundance, I am coming to the treasury from a position of pride. Even if I am giving large sums and accomplishing great feats in the name of Jesus, if I have not emptied myself of my own ambitions and recognized that what He really wants is my whole heart, my offering is small. But when I understand that God is my Provider, I can give without concern for myself because He is enough for me. Jesus gave so many commandments related to caring for others and living unashamed that Believers today find uncomfortable. But why do we find it uncomfortable? What are we holding onto? And how do we open our hands and our hearts, because it is with urgency that we need to let go of everything that is keeping us back from the fullness of what God has prepared for us.

God laid all He had in the manger, and Jesus delivered it all at the cross. Can we give out of our poverty? Lets give Him all we have.

This thoughts have been burning in my heart these last few weeks. Thank you for allowing me to share them with you.

Image by Monika from Pixabay.