If you read the newspapers and magazines, you will often read of philanthropists who give millions of dollars to an organization or cause. I always enjoy those stories, and secretly wish that I was able to give like that as well. We often set them up as models of giving in our culture. In other words, we look to the rich for our giving lessons.
In this story, Jesus does the exact opposite. Rather than looking to the richest, he looks to the poorest. Here he points to his disciples to a poor widow, who couldn’t even afford to give an entire penny. Instead of giving out of wealth, Jesus shows how she instead gives out of her poverty.
While it is definitely hard to even conceive someone this poor in our culture, we must acknowledge that her sacrifice is very inspiring to us. To the rich, even millions of dollars are not a sacrifice. But to her, pennies were all that she had. I’d suggest to you that when we determine our giving, don’t do it merely by calculating a dollar figure. Rather do it based on sacrifice—how much is it truly costing you? As C.S. Lewis said, “Give until it hurts, and then give a little more!”
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