Luke 20:41—21:4

ChrisRyan

ChrisRyan

Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
Luke 21:1-4
 
Changing the subject slightly... let’s be careful to be generous with warmth, friendliness, pleasantness, hospitality, too.
Those are ways to make a big difference, too – so, let’s be generous in those areas not stingy with our smile and pleasant demeanor.
 
I liked the idea of money as "energy to be moved around", rather than accumulated wealth, security and power. It is less greedy and clingy and more healthy and leads to generosity. Thanks for that insight!
 
There is something about generosity that is compelling. Jesus says that the poor widow has given out of her poverty, but in reality it is only she who has given out of her abundance—an inner abundance of the heart that allows her to behave almost recklessly, as if she had more than enough.
I was taught to save those pennies, to save them for a rainy day, and it can still keep me looking to the horizon for any sign of clouds. My spouse, admittedly, has a much better relationship to money: it’s not about having or not having, but about knowing the relative value of wealth; it is energy to be moved around, rather than bankable power or security. Above all, it is a potent way to extend and manifest generosity.
As we see in the widow’s mite, it’s not the amount, but the heart’s intention behind it that matters. That is where the real power lies.
 
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