Giving Gifts

Among other things, Jesus was a great communicator.  When He spoke, people listened.  He had a gift for making people do their own thinking as He told parable after parable.  He was also good with short stories.  It did not take Him a thousand words to tell a story that drove home an unforgettable truth.  He had a knack for seeing ordinary things like sheep grazing in a pasture, or a farmer sowing seed to drive home a truth as surely as a carpenter uses a hammer to drive home a nail.   

The gospel writer, Luke, tells us of such a moment.  "He (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 that she had.' " (Luke 21:1-4).  It is easy to imagine Jesus offering this word as He overheard His disciples being impressed by the extravagant gifts of some.  The offering receptacles in the Temple were not like our contemporary offering plates, but instead were metal trumpet shaped vessels attached to the wall.  A handful of coins made a noisy offering as they rattled around to their resting place, but two copper coins hardly even made a whimper of a sound.  

The real difference in the offerings, however, was unseen by the disciples. The rich gave out of their abundance meaning that what they gave was from their surplus.  It cost them nothing.  No matter how much they gave, they kept enough to make sure that all their wants and wishes would be satisfied.  On the other hand, the widow gave out of her poverty meaning that she gave trusting God to take care of tomorrow.  One gift spoke of depending on self and another about depending on God.  It makes us wonder what Jesus thinks about our giving.