a penny
Do you remember the story in the Bible of the widow and her offering? (Mark 12:42). The 2 coins (worth about a penny).
This week, the Lord used that story to hit home in my heart. Digging a little deeper and unearthing things I did not realize. On the surface and even some deeper levels, I understood my heart in part. But the more I dug, I realized there was another layer to uncover!
I was meditating and considering some things. And then the Lord connected the pieces and gave revelation through the Scriptures and parable above.
I then remembered a message my husband preached some years past on the parable of the widows gift.
My walk-away: Her gift, offering and sacrifice was so precious, fragile and I believe struck a tender core in Jesus' heart because she gave out of her poverty, not out of her riches. It was a sacrifice. Not just a monetary and financial sacrifice, though it was. There was more at stake. There was a greater cost. She was a widow. There is a reason Jesus instructs to take care of the widows. Perhaps in that culture, widows were overlooked. Disregarded. But she came. And she gave anyway. Even while the rich looked on. She gave. No shame. Not holding back but with reckless abandonment.
She gave all that she had. All of her. And from the place in which she gave, she didn't have much to begin with but yet she gave anyway. And Jesus honored her gift.
How sweet and wise of Jesus to accept and receive not only her gift and her act of worship but to accept and receive her in her gift and her worship knowing full well what it cost her and the place in which she gave from.
My prayer is that God would help us to give as the widow. And if we would be so ever blessed to be on the receiving end of a "widow's" (someone giving out of their poverty) gift, may we not only receive the gift but to also stop, consider and acknowledge what it may have cost that person to give that "gift" (physical, spiritual or emotional).
Oh how that would make our heart tender and full of love and compassion! Receive people and what they have to offer. Right where they are. Because you never know what it cost them.
This week, the Lord used that story to hit home in my heart. Digging a little deeper and unearthing things I did not realize. On the surface and even some deeper levels, I understood my heart in part. But the more I dug, I realized there was another layer to uncover!
I was meditating and considering some things. And then the Lord connected the pieces and gave revelation through the Scriptures and parable above.
I then remembered a message my husband preached some years past on the parable of the widows gift.
My walk-away: Her gift, offering and sacrifice was so precious, fragile and I believe struck a tender core in Jesus' heart because she gave out of her poverty, not out of her riches. It was a sacrifice. Not just a monetary and financial sacrifice, though it was. There was more at stake. There was a greater cost. She was a widow. There is a reason Jesus instructs to take care of the widows. Perhaps in that culture, widows were overlooked. Disregarded. But she came. And she gave anyway. Even while the rich looked on. She gave. No shame. Not holding back but with reckless abandonment.
She gave all that she had. All of her. And from the place in which she gave, she didn't have much to begin with but yet she gave anyway. And Jesus honored her gift.
How sweet and wise of Jesus to accept and receive not only her gift and her act of worship but to accept and receive her in her gift and her worship knowing full well what it cost her and the place in which she gave from.
My prayer is that God would help us to give as the widow. And if we would be so ever blessed to be on the receiving end of a "widow's" (someone giving out of their poverty) gift, may we not only receive the gift but to also stop, consider and acknowledge what it may have cost that person to give that "gift" (physical, spiritual or emotional).
Oh how that would make our heart tender and full of love and compassion! Receive people and what they have to offer. Right where they are. Because you never know what it cost them.
Comments