READ: Mark 12
THINK: The Lord Jesus was sitting in the temple watching people put their money into the treasury. The rich dropped in large amounts, making the bucket resound with the clang of their coins. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two tiny copper coins worth less then a penny. They made only a slight tinkling sound, impressing no one—except Jesus. He called His disciples to Him and said that she had given more than the rest, for she had given “her whole livelihood.”
Speaking of this incident, missionary Paul Beals made a distinction between contributions and sacrifices. The wealthy people, he explained, were making contributions, but the widow was making a sacrifice, for she was giving “out of her poverty.” Then he paused and said quietly, “I don’t know if my wife and I have ever given sacrificially. Oh, we thought we were. Once we even took some money out of savings to give to a special project. But it didn’t jeopardize our livelihood. I guess I have to say we really don’t know what it means to give sacrificially. We’ve been making contributions.”
I appreciate Beals’s distinction and admire his honesty. When it comes to giving, a good principle to remember is this: While humans are impressed by how much we give, God is impressed by how little we keep for ourselves.
By: D C Egner in Our Daily Bread
PRAY: Have you ever given sacrificially? Have you made sacrifices for God’s Kingdom or only contributions? Ask God to give you a servant’s heart. Ask him to show you where he wants you to give sacrificially and to give you the courage and faith to do it!
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