What does the old
saying “give until it hurts” mean to you?
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what
we give.
When you learn, teach. When you get, give.
What is true generosity?
Could be summed up like this “You give your all, and yet you always feel
as if it costs you nothing.”
Never get tired of doing little things for others,
sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.
Nov 11, 2018 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 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 amount, but by the spirit
in which it is given. A gift given grudgingly or for recognition
loses its value for you. 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, how we love and forgive. Give
generously is the call of the scriptures.
Blessed are those who can give
without remembering, for it is in the remembering that the gift can lose
its value for you. 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 that
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 they will be replenished. 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 all of myself.? 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. You think about this folks, no one could give their all without blind
trust. 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 today 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 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 did the apostles Paul,
Peter, Thomas, or in our modern day a Martin Luther King, Gundi, a Nelson
Mandela, Desman Tutu and what happens to them- they are gotten rid of, jailed crucified
or assassinated or excommunicated. This
is 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
Tiananmen 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.
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