Do Not Despise Small Gifts

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Scripture: Luke 21:1-4 (ESV)

21 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Devotion:

            We begin this Holy Week with a scripture passage that teaches us about gifts and giving to the Lord. We know from scripture that Jesus says that the greatest gift is to lay down your life for someone else. So, how does the widow’s gift of two small copper coins measure up to that gift? As Jesus says, it is very significant indeed. She gave all she had to live on to God. It was, in a certain sense, like giving her very life. Life was tough for widows in Jesus' day, as it remains today in some places.

            Both first-century and twenty-first-century people tend to think that bigger is better. In the church, we tend to celebrate those with public, flashy gifts as superior to the person with the gift of hospitality, leading one to clean the bathrooms and do other menial labor around the church. Our culture teaches and reinforces this view of life. Those among us to whom God has granted earthly wealth in abundance should not be valued or esteemed more than those who are poor and needy.

            Generosity is valued in God’s economy as superior to sheer size. We give thanks for both. We celebrate all who give to the Lord without questioning motive or generosity. The Lord alone will decide how to reward the giver of the gift. Jesus, in this passage, gives us a suggestion of how our Lord judges among givers. It is to God alone that the ability to judge these matters must be left. Let us praise the Lord that we can give our time, talents, and treasure for the cause of the gospel.

Prayer:

            Thank you, Lord, for giving each of us gifts we can use to build your kingdom here on earth. Please help us to celebrate whatever gift we can give and not look with envy or disdain at the gift our neighbor gives. You, Lord, know the giver's heart and can alone judge their heart righteously. Let us cheerfully and generously give you a portion of our time, talent, and treasure according to the prompting of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

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