I make all kinds of people uncomfortable when I talk about “money.” People brace themselves for what is to come. I have even been told that my statements can be anti-or-even-counter-productive.
Oh well…
Hear this: “The size of the gift, the enormity of the sacrifice, the amount of our offering does not buy relationship with my God — for this comes to us — freely as a gift.”
This is my story…and I am sticking with it. It is not about “size.” It is purely and solely about “our response” to the “Love of our God!”
“One more time, the size of the gift, the enormity of the sacrifice, the amount of our offering – does buy relationship with our God—for this comes to us — freely as a gift.” That’s what grace is all about!
Sorry, it is WHAT I believe.
The Treasurer, the Finance people and the Stewardship people are cringing right about now, and scratching their heads, saying what is he saying and doing NOW?
I have another point that I would very much like to make this weekend. It has to do with – what has been “historically called” – the Widow’s Mite.
I think most sermons that lift up or celebrate “the giving” and “the sacrifice” of the widow are completely missing the boat. They are off base. They are not true to the scriptures.
I think the church has not historically understood this lesson or its meaning. I think, the church has USED this scripture for its own purposes.
By Jesus pointing out the widow — I DO NOT believe that he is at all celebrating HER GIVING.
The story of the widow giving at the Temple is not a positive example of giving, but rather, the whole incident is a crying shame…and shame on the Temple and shame on the Temple elites for taking her money. Shame on Israel as a nation, too!
They should be giving her money to live on – instead.
The widow in the story merely represents “the continual and on-going exploitation of the poor” – by the Temple elite.
Shame on Israel…as a nation… Shame on the people…of God…
I believe that Jesus is merely emphasizing the point that the Temple authorities and the nation as a whole, are “completely missing the point” – of what it means to be “God’s people.”
And, I want you to know, the same thing argument can be made of the church today. Shame on the church… Shame on Christendom…shame on the clergy… We are the one’s missing the boat and not understanding “what it means” to be God’s people, today!
It has nothing to do with the “size of the gift”…or the “enormity of the sacrifice” or the “amount of the offering”…but it is about YOUR RESPONSE to your God and to those in need…
The story of the widow’s mite…or the widow’s gift is a story of trust, complete and utter trust in God.
God provides.
Yahweh provides.
He always has.
God is good, all of the time. He is more than generous. Blessings are showered on us continually. Daily, even on our worst of days…
The widow trusted. The widow had faith. She responded with everything she had, because she knew God would provide. It is a story of “TRUST.”
If you see God as being “beyond generous,” if you are astounded at the providence of our God, if you feel yourself blessed by him, if “doors and avenues” have been opened to you – that you could never-ever-have dreamed of…then, “how do you respond to him?”
Jesus makes an observation: “The wealthy have contributed out of their surplus (in such a way-that does NO HARM to their continuing to be wealthy.)
The widow gave all that she had. Having two coins means that, poor though she was, she COULD HAVE kept one small coin for herself.
But her devotion was total, there were to be no half measures for her. She holds nothing back. She continues to trust in God. God will provide. She is sure of it. She is positive.
It is a story of TRUST…a story of faith.
A story that pushes the envelope…
It is a story that challenges the people of God, to NOT trust in themselves but rather to trust IN GOD.
I hate to be corny, but I have heard that saying somewhere before – IN GOD WE TRUST.
Do you? How much? To what extent?