You ever like you’re not doing enough. Like you should be doing more, offering more? Comparing yourself to others who are always serving, always giving and wondering what do I have to offer?
Do you think that Christ is really concerned about what is given or HOW it is given?
Let me answer with a story.
Several years ago, I was having a rough day. I know, hard to believe right?
I was trying hard to get the house clean and the girls were fighting and not exactly being helpful. I think any mom can relate to the frustration that can mount when this happens.
After awhile, the girls were finally tucked in their rooms, hopefully cleaning as asked and not arguing with one another, I sat at the counter and just took a deep breath, willing myself not to cry because of all the things that I had to get done and I absolutely hate to cry. Not only would it be a waste of time, but I’ve always seen it as weakness. It’s not, but that’s a post for another time.
As I was taking this moment to breathe, my oldest was suddenly standing right next to me.
She looked pretty solemn at me for a moment before she said “Mom, I have something for you.” and placed two pennies into my hand. “It’s for all the hard work you do around here.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle and you know those moments of putting your foot in your mouth? That was me after I commented, “All I’m worth is two cents?” My daughter’s face turned completely crestfallen.
“Mom, it’s all I have.”
Then the Lord immediately plopped this story into my lap from Luke 21:1-4.
Jesus was in a town and he was watching as all the rich putting in their gifts to the treasury. Making a big show of it and making sure everyone can see how amazing they are. Then there was a woman. The Bible doesn’t say much about her except that she was poor, so my mind sees her as an older woman wrapped in a raggedy old shawl. Probably dirty. Maybe even a little humiliated because when she made her way to the treasury, she was only able to put in two small mites. Basically equivalent to 2 cents.
But what does Jesus say?
Verse 3-4
“Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
It’s so humbling!
It’s not about money. It’s not about status. Jesus doesn’t see His worth in what you give, rather than the manor in which it is given. It’s about your heart in the giving.
When I made that comment to my daughter, I was degrading the heart in which she was giving what she had. We may feel like we aren’t doing enough, but we are degrading what He desires when we are doing anything without the right heart behind it.
Jesus doesn’t need a bunch of money thrown in the offering bucket. He doesn’t need you to throw a whole bunch of scriptures up on social media. He just wants your heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
Luke 6:45 ESV
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
How is the nature of our heart? We can do all the serving in the world, give all that we have, but if we don’t have the right heart behind it, it’s worthless.
Think of the verse in the Bible – Jesus didn’t care for the religious people and all their giving, but the poor widow and her two mites he praised. Or we could even look back at the beginning, Cain brough an offering to the Lord, but Abel was praised for his offering instead. Again, it’s from the heart and where it comes from, not what the offering is and it doesn’t matter how big or small it is. It’s all about the heart.
Thank you, Lord for reminding me how every gift whether big or small, when given out of pure love should be treasured! Because the heart behind the gesture is more important than the gift itself.
angelaschmeling 