Mark 12:41-44
We only have 4 verses to read and consider today, but those 4 short verses reveal much to us about giving--from both sides of the coin (no pun intended)--God's and ours. I could just visualize this woman and her sweet spirit and heart for the Lord. And her actions got me thinking about how easy it is to fall into a pattern of giving and kind of stop thinking about the why or how or reason for what we're doing.
Funny thing, but giving has been on my heart for the last few weeks and just two nights ago, my husband and I actually talked about our giving and making some changes. So I smiled a little when I read Mark 12:41-44 and then thought we could do some personal assessing together. Hope you're up for it? Here goes:
How are we doing when it comes to giving back to the Lord? (Now our passage dealt with money, but giving back also includes our time and efforts. So let's consider those areas as well.) Moving forward, what could each of us do to get us closer to the example of this widow? Tami W.
For this widow it seems that giving was a matter of faith and trust, not finances. I shudder to think what God could do in our world if His children would give like this widow did. Imagine the financial miracles and provision that we would see! For me, giving has always been seen with the backdrop of God's love. God commands us to give and then lovingly provides. As the widow learned, when we give all that we have, we then place our lives in the hands of God to take care of us. And no "dis" meant to Allstate insurance, but "you're in good hands with God"
Giving has to come from the heart. When we give we have to be humble not blowing a trumpet about what we give and this is true whether it is giving money or giving our time.
This poor widow was giving thanks to what He has given her. He always provided for her and she knows He would continue to do so. So I agree with you Eric that it is a matter of faith and trust. When we give, we should not think of what we will receive because it is better to give than receive. Matthew 6:3 (KJV) says, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth".
Most of us give out of our surplus and fall short on our giving because we are afraid of our wants not being met instead of relying on faith that our need will be met. I am trying to work on that.
Wow! what powerful verses. I have heard it so many times but today the Lord has decided to reveal it to me in a different context. I am involved in leading a middle school youth ministry, and I struggle trying to define what success is in ministry. I am finding it harder to understand than my previous job. But in this context it is not the amount she is giving but it is the heart that she is giving. I want all of my heart for my middle school ministry and not to worry about how much time or money I can put into it. It is all about the love of God that I share with them.
From this passage, what speaks to me is that, its all about the heart. The bible says God looks at a mans heart and weighs the motives in the heart. What matters before God is the motive in our hearts when we give (finances or our time in ministry), if we give with selfish motives, I believe God doesnt consider that. But if we give to God knowing that he is owner of everthing and as an act of reverence towards God, that is when God is moved. I am encouraged to give both my time and finances out of reverence of God my Lord and savior.
Wow this is a hard one. I am disabled and my extra money goes to meds. It bothers me sometimes that I don't have to give. But I try to tell myself He knows. I did at one point put my paycheck in the plate but I knew my parents would provide for me I was living with them. I would like to be like the lady with the penny. It is hard.
I'm in a split marriage. My husband isn't a believer and handles most of the money. I do have money that I control and so I give to my church and some missionary friends. However, at tax time I always get comments from my husband about the money. That is just Satan working. What I really need to work on is giving my time. Thanks to all here on P4. This keeps me on track with reading the Bible.
cain and abel come to mind. both engaged in the act of giving. the attitudes behing the acts were starkly different...hence, God's reaction to each was starkly different. any of us can engage in pulling money out of our purses/pockets and giving it to our churches or to select charities. the issue becomes, what is really going on in our hearts regarding what we are giving.
When I read this yesterday the Lord reveiled to me that it's not about money it's about our lives. Alot of us give to the Lord out of the surplus of our lives. It's about about being sold-out for Christ, giving Him everything. Mark 8:35-For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.