"Give Till It Hurts, Are You For Real"

                                            Nelson Mandela

                                      We make a living by what we get. 
                                       We make a life by what we give.

                         Blessed are those who can give without remembering

                            When you learn, teach. When you get, give.

                     That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, 
                          and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.
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 What does this old saying mean to you “give until it hurts” 

Nov 8 2015 Readings:  Psalm 127   Mark 12: 38-44

I would like to share two observations from the reading found in Mark today: 

At first reading, today's gospel passage from Mark appears to have a lot to do with money.  Jesus is sitting watching people put their offerings into the money box.  There were several boxes in the temple where money could be placed.  Some were for collecting the temple tax from Jewish males, others were for freewill offerings.  It was the freewill offering box that catches Jesus attention.  He notes that there is one who gives more than all the rest.  May I suggest here that what Jesus is trying to point out to his disciples and to us is that in giving it is not about the amount, for there are others who give much more than this widow gave.  The value of a gift is not determined by its size or it's amount, but by the spirit in which it is given.  A gift given grudgingly or for recognition loses its value.  This teaching is very difficult for many to achieve not only those within the church but for many outside the church as well.    

I think most of us would agree that it is good to give and we give generously.  Giving of our time, our talent or our money is good thing to do.  Not only for others but also for ourselves.  Giving offers hope to the recipient and it also helps to builds within us faith and trust in the promises of God.  The teaching is “We shall receive proportionately, according to our giving.”  Give generously is the call of the scriptures.  Blessed are those who can give without remembering, for it it is in the remembering that the gift can lose its value.  And if we take what Jesus says to his disciples about the widow seriously, we might even agree that giving till it hurts is good, in fact, giving till it has gone way past hurting may even be better.   Strange concepts, not only for the rich of Jesus’ day but for us also.  We must admit though, to give all, we would have to give until it hurts.   Not many and I must include myself here, are willing to trust God that far, at least not yet, but we are working on it, aren’t we.  

However, I believe that there is more to today's gospel than just the amount of money given in this situation.  Jesus isn’t condemning those who are making their offering from their abundance but, because Jesus is identifying himself with this poor widow and noting that she is giving of her poverty, this makes the status quo uncomfortable.  The poor giving more than we?   This financially poor women has given all that she had.   She held back nothing for herself.  Now, no one I know, gives their all without some understanding or reassurance, that somehow they will be taken care of, that their giving will not be in vane.   As I studied this piece of scripture the thought that came to me here was, can I trust God enough to give myself back to that which created me.  Can I give my all. 
May I suggest here that this women is not only generous but that she has riches greater than any amount of money, time or talent, what she has, is a faith rich in trust.  No one could give their all without it.  She must truly believe that she will continue to be provided for, even after she has given her last penny.       Now that’s Faith!!  

The challenge for those of us who claim to be faithful followers of Jesus, especially when it comes to our giving’s is this:  It’s not about the amount of the time, talent or moneys we give, the most important thing is, do we have the faith to believe that we too will be taken care of even if we were to give all we have, even our lives.  Many will be remembered on Wednesday this week for giving the ultimate sacrifice.  But not only the soldier for we must remember the police officer, the firefighter, the rescue worker, volunteers, doctors, nurses, pastors, priests and everyday folk who have also offer their lives for the sake of others.  We must never forget. 

Here is the other interesting observation I would like to add to the story today.  May I suggest here that by identifying with the poor, Jesus becomes very unpopular with the rich and the middles class of his day.  Why is this?  Because he is consistently bringing to the attention of the status quo the social gospel, which include racism, injustice, the conditions of the poor, the sick and marbleized outcast folk of his day.    This may sound ironic but  whenever people today begin to identify with the social gospel and the poor of the world, it brings light to our responsibilities concerning same.  At first they are lifted to hero status like Jesus was, but it doesn’t last long before all that changes.  Once the changes or giving begins to interfere with the status quo comfort zones, monies, power or lifestyles you may get labelled as was the apostle Paul Peter,  Thomas or in modern times as a Martin Luther King, Gundi, a Nelson Mandela, or a Desman Tutu and what happened to them- often they are discredited, gotten rid of, jailed, crucified or assassinated.  This is often the fate of those who give until it really hurts. Jesus knew this first hand.   You or I may not be called upon to go to war and offer ourselves for the injustices of our world.   You might not be called upon to march in Tienanmen Square, or to go to India and fight for rights of young women to get an education, but there is lots of opportunity for all of us to give and offer ourselves right in our own church, school, our town, village or city. Yes it is risky business folks but someone has to have the courage to offer.  Remembering that true giving has nothing to do with the size or the amount of the gift, but by the spirit in which it is given.

 We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

May God bless you in your giving’s.   

                                          "Go Make A Difference" 

                         Generosity insists that you meet people where they are. 

                          This requires some courage, like all forms of intimacy.