GIVE GENEROUSLY
Luke 21: 1-4 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
In the Gospels, Jesus highlights the example of a widow who relies entirely on God’s providence. The poor widow presents everything she has to God. Who do you identify within this parable? Is he who gives generously of what he has? Or the widow who gives of all that she has out of poverty? Let us try to find ourselves in this verse.
With those less than us, there is a difference between sharing our wealth and fortune and ‘giving’. While it may be easy for some of us to give money, it can also include giving our time, energy and abilities to others when we are tired and busy. We are called to give unconditionally some of our talents, not to give from what is left over, but to give after using it for our own needs or our group.
Today God asks us to give of ourselves.
The amount we give is not important to God because God looks at our attitude and knows what is in our hearts.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God has given us what is most precious to Him. His Son Our Lord Jesus Christ is sacrificed for sinners and emptied Himself like a grain of wheat. Jesus not only gave up everything He had but also gave His whole body, blood, and life.
Luke 14:33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have, cannot be my disciples.
God gives us hope for Jesus’ disciples. In order for us to be like our Lord, His will must be done in us, not our own. As this poor widow of the gospel, I pray to God to give us an open heart so that we are all prepared to give generously of all that we have.
Sol. MATHEW R S AOJ