All in

 1 Aug 25

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion


All in

This widow gave all she had to live on, in contrast to the way most of us handle our money. When we consider giving a certain percentage of our income a great accomplishment, we resemble those who gave "a tiny part of their surplus." Here, Jesus was admiring generous and sacrificial giving. As believers, we should consider increasing our giving-whether of money, time, or talents-to a point beyond convenience or safety.


“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 ‭NIV‬‬

———————

Reflections

I think more often than not, the Lord may have challenged us at different seasons in life to give either to someone or maybe even to a particular cause. Perhaps you may also have your own preferred community or church that you tithe regularly.


A few questions were raised before about offering and tithes. There are people who asked, should they give based on their gross salary or net pay? Is the 10% before government taxes or after or can I give 10% after I have paid off all my bills, etc. but what do you think? 


How about putting yourself in the shoe of a parent? If your kid is giving you a monthly maintenance every month and let’s say they promised to give you a tenth of what they earn. What do you think would be correct?


In my personal opinion, I think it doesn’t matter how much they give or if they truly give me 10% or lesser or if they even give me anything at all. If they do, I will be glad and thankful but if they don’t I won’t force it down their throat even to say they really must give. I think if they felt like they wanted to give and contribute as an act of love, I can accept it. I’m also ok if they don’t give me anything and it also won’t mean that they don’t love anymore. I guess we live in such a time where times are bad and not so easy to survive too so I can understand if they are struggling.


Here the passage is looking at things from a different perspective and asking us to reflect on how we give. Are we a cheerful giver? Do we grumble and complain every time when we receive our pay that we had to tithe? How about the times when we ask God for help? Did He grumble or complain why we kept asking Him for money or certain things? Are we overly concerned about the amount we had to give and totally forgotten that everything comes from Him and it is of His own do we give to Him? Does He truly require anything from us? Nope. He has no lack.


This is asking us to reflect on our own attitudes. The amount when say we spent on good food versus giving our offerings. How willing are we in spending for something? I read somewhere before that says that if we breakdown our expenses, it will reveal to us where our focus is. Maybe it’s time to check our spending 

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