For God so Loved, He gave...We should too!
From Luke 21: 1-19: He 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." When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, "I am he!' and, "The time is near!' Do not go after them. "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.
This is Wednesday of Holy Week. And we find Jesus teaching on two important subjects, giving, and living faithfully. It is becoming very clear to some churches that the giving of some older members is what is sustaining the church, and who are not too long for this earth. In several churches in our district, for example, Mom has reached the age where she needs help in her daily chores either because of age or because of the onset of a mental disability, and she moves off to the big city far from the church. The children who were caring for her and her finances make the decision that now the money once set aside for God and God's work would better serve the family and the church no longer can count on Mom's gifts. The pastors are left wondering if Mom ever taught the children to give. She may have, the kids chose not to learn or worse, not to give. Jesus, at the treasury, saw rich people putting their gifts into it. These were the days of coins and the treasury being metal, each gift made a loud sound. Then comes what the Bible calls "a poor widow," and she "put in two small copper coins." This pleases Jesus for He says, "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." Her faith in God spoke volumes of what God was going to do for her, more importantly, all that God had already done in her life.
Jesus then turns to a prophetic moment when He declares that a day was coming when not one stone of the Temple would not left upon another. This piqued the disciples' curiosity: When will this be, and what sign will there be?" Jesus' response is to live faithfully and fearlessly. Yes, Jesus mentions that some would be arrested, some persecuted, and some put on trial. View these, Jesus is saying, as opportunities to give witness to God. Jesus added there is no need to prepare for He would give the words that are to be spoken. Even in the midst of betrayal by those we love and trust, even unto death, we should not be afraid, for "not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls."
Give as you live, with faith and love, to God; but give all things: Yourself, your money, your witness, your service; and many will be saved and blessed because of it.
PRAYER: Lord, let me live life to the fullness by doing as Jesus taught; help me to give as I live, with faith and love all things of mine, as first I surrender myself to You. I pray in Your Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
