Give Until You Feel It

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 fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, 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

Reflection

It’s a strange feature of America’s religious landscape that people with lower incomes seem to give more than those who are financially well-off.  The actual amount given may or may not be higher; but, as a percentage of income, those with lower incomes often tend to be more generous.  Why is this?  It may have to do with priorities.  People accumulate wealth by prioritizing wealth, which could make one less inclined to give.  Those with less money may also be more compassionate toward people in need.  They know what it is like to be short on resources, so they might give more readily to help those in similar circumstances.  On the other hand, those with wealth may be less in touch with feelings of compassion and more inclined to blame the poor for their plight.  However you account for the phenomenon, this situation relates to an important principle of Christian stewardship:  Our giving means more when we feel it.

As Jesus watched people giving in the temple, he announced that the poor widow gave more than all the rich people giving far greater amounts.  Why is this?  Because, in God’s eyes, the size of a gift is determined by the size of the sacrifice it involves, not by the actual amount.  The rich people were evidently giving out of what they had left over.  They weren’t going without anything in order to make their extravagant contributions.  The widow, however, was making a big sacrifice.  She wasn’t giving out of her surplus income.  She was giving money that she could otherwise have used for essential things.  This goes very much against a modern middle-class sensibility.  Were we present, we’d probably try to make the woman take her offering back.  She needs the money!  But to do so would be to miss the point of her giving and rob her of a bigger blessing.   When you are truly in love with God and devoted to God’s purposes, there is satisfaction to be found in making sacrifices for God.  It’s not the kind of fleeting satisfaction we receive from a good meal or the purchase of merchandise.  It is the deeper, lasting satisfaction of being in partnership with God.  We humans are always at our best when we act in an altruistic way in service to a higher purpose.  This isn’t the sort of giving than can be coerced or done out of guilt.  It can be done only out of love and devotion to God.  I suspect that is why God is most pleased when we really sacrifice something in order to give.  It shows the depth of our love!

Activity

Review your usual pattern of charitable giving.  If you have the resources and if you can do so without resentment or guilt, try doubling the amount you give for one month.  If you aren’t ready or able to take this step, find another way you can experiment with giving in a way that you can really feel.  View it as a spiritual experiment.  Do you feel the impact of giving more than you did before?  Does it give you any extra satisfaction?  Does it increase your sense of love for God?  It may be that you find your spiritual life improves as a consequence of increased giving.  What is it like to have your giving make an impact on the way you live?

Prayer

God of Creation, You are the giver of every good gift:  My possessions, my abilities, and my life itself come from You and will return to You.  Forgive me when I fail to be grateful or refuse to share.  Open my eyes to Your amazing generosity, and return me to the path of faithful stewardship.  Help me to give in such a way that it makes a true impact on my life.  Thank You for the opportunity to grow as a steward of Your gifts:  in Jesus’ name.  Amen.