Wednesday 6 December, 2017

41 Jesus sat down across from the place where people put their temple offerings. He watched the crowd putting their money into the offering boxes. Many rich people threw large amounts into them. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins. They were worth only a few pennies. 43 Jesus asked his disciples to come to him. He said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. That poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 They all gave a lot because they are rich. But she gave even though she is poor. She put in everything she had. That was all she had to live on.”

Mark paints quite the picture of contrast in this brief but powerful passage on giving. As I’ve meditated or thought about this scene – 2 things have struck me:

Ritual verses Relationship

Outward appearances verses inward

Jesus always focuses on our hearts. God had the widows heart and her offering showed it; He did not have the hearts of “the rich”, their offerings were only ritual and for appearance.

The challenge for me has been to re-think my financial offerings. Has something that began from relationship moved into ritual? The Holy Spirit has highlighted to me that the ease of ‘set and forget’ EFT giving can also easily become ritual. This is something that I’ve never considered before and so I need to make sure there is always room for Him to impact my heart in my giving & not just to think that I’ve got that covered and ‘set and forget’.

Lord Jesus forgive me for where my heart has become complacent and moved into ritual in my giving into your Kingdom. I pray that my heart will always remain soft in generosity as your generosity to me has been so overwhelming. Amen

Written by Suzie Hodgson