Deuteronomy 33 and 34, Luke 20: 27-47, Luke 21: 1-4, Psalm 63
Luke 21: 1-4 (ESV)
“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into
the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he
said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their
abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Verses 1 to 4 from Luke 21 is the well-known story of the
widow’s offering. This year I am reading bible commentaries from well-known
scholars on my bible readings, and many of them have said it was the “spirit of
giving” that determined the worthiness of the widow’s gift more than the
amount. God doesn’t want us give money grudgingly or guilt money. God wants a
cheerful giver. God doesn’t need our money. God values the gift on what it
costs the giver. If this is true, I wonder how much a very rich person needs to
give in order for God to be pleased? Would the person need to give their wealth
all away? I started tithing 10% to my church last year. Tithing made me feel so
abundant and wealthy and made me wonder why I didn’t tithe 10% in the past. I
knew previously I always thought tithing that much money would make feel so
poor, but I was so wrong. Is it a stretch to tithe? Yes, it is given the
current state of our economy. But like any bill you get used to that money
coming out your account. And I do like the feeling of wealth and abundance that
comes to me when I think about how much I tithe. That feeling is priceless!
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