Giving in Silence



"As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” — Luke 21:1-4

I think we've all heard the story of the Widow's mite, or if you read the text, two mites. We know it's how we're supposed to approach giving. We know it's important. But I think we tend to gloss over it a bit. What I loved about our message today was the idea that it was silent.

Money in our world isn't silent. Sure, we all love the movies and TV shows where the billionaire is the schlub hiding in the corner. The person who isn't flashy and is just really down to earth. But that's not what we see in our world. More often, we see people like Jay Gatsby in the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. It's about status, it's about position, and it's what sets you apart.

But that's not the example we see in the Bible. Money comes from God. He blesses us with it, and He expects us to be good stewards of what He's given. That includes taking care of those who suffer in this world and giving back to the work of His kingdom.

What's powerful about the widow is that, in silence, she gave all she had out of conviction. We should do likewise.

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