My Offering

Luke 21

New International Version (NIV)

The Widow’s Offering

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

If you are anything like me you have been to services or Churches where certain monetary donations are  required, ask for and perhaps even demanded of. At times amounts are requested for that you might not have especially if you have already given your tithe or another sacrificial gift. (Just to be clear a tithe is one tenth of all that you have earned given back to the kingdom of God.) Anything above a tithe is considered an offering or some form of sacrificial gift. 

In our text for today Jesus reminds us that it's not about the amount of money or gifts that you offer to God but about the sacrifice. I believe that some in the temple that day were asking for everyone to put in a certain amount. Some probably had it to spare and placed it in while others might have struggled and came up with the amount, but this poor widow only had two copper coins. Christ reminds us that the widow put in all she had for God, others watching might of thought that the coins didn't even matter. The truth is that this widow put in the biggest amount of them all, her offering was giving God all of her. What's your offering to God today, this week, during 2013, and for life? My offering is myself, Romans 12:1 Submit you body as a living sacrifice, holy and except-able to God.

Dear God, today lead us to offer ourselves to you daily and forever. Amen.

Be well, P.J.