The widow at the temple in Jerusalem is often mentioned when Christians discuss giving (Luke 21:1-4). Jesus highlighted her generosity by telling that she gave her all.
To those who saw her give, they may have judged her for giving so little. But Jesus pointed out that she gave everything she had.
We are not told what happened next. Matthew Porter, in his book The Art of Giving, said, “We don’t know how her future turned out. Neither do we know for certain how it will be for us if we commit to giving like her. All we know is that God calls us to live generously, learning from the giving of the poor.”
My wife and I served in Kenya for five years with Wycliffe Bible Translators. One of my most vivid memories was when a friend invited us to join him for church in a very underprivileged neighborhood, Kibera (shown in the photo).
After the service, two of his pastors joined us in his nearby one-room, dirt-walled home. He provided Cokes for all of us. During that hot afternoon, the drinks were very refreshing. But what stood out to us was how much it was like the widow’s gift – it cost a significant portion of his weekly income.
May we be extravagant today – not just with our finances but with our time and our spirit.
-Paul Merrill, Half Crown Media’s Director of Communications
Photo by Evans Dims on Unsplash.
