"And he [Jesus] called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
I read a quote today that has been gnawing at me ever since. It was by the well known French existentialist, Jean-Paul Sartre. The quote is along the lines of the following:
"The poor don't know that their function in life is to exercise our generosity."
Straight off the bat, I want to strongly state that I totally disagree with this statement. I guess it's bothered me because it boxes 'poor' people into a stereotype; saying that they exist subservient to the proverbial 'us'. Who is this 'us'? Who is Sartre talking about here?
Is it you and me? Because if it isn't, we must be here to exercise everyone else's generosity!
Which, actually, I believe we are.
We typically group ourselves, regardless of our social, economic, religious or political standing, into the 'haves' and group others that are different to us into the 'have nots'. Whether it's I have money, they don't, or I have faith, they don't, or I have divine patience, they don't, or I have kindness in my heart. They don't. I know that I certainly fall into that way of thinking, often!
As soon as we think in terms of I have, they don't, we equate our situation to numbers. It becomes a how-much game. I have, because I have more than you.
I believe that this is where we miss GOD's heart for generosity. We become the wealthy contributors to the temple welfare and overlook the widow who gave her entire livelihood. We overlook those that have something to offer, all because we perceive their offering to be inferior to ours. Generosity is born in our attitude, not in our abundance.
Is it you and me? Because if it isn't, we must be here to exercise everyone else's generosity!
Which, actually, I believe we are.
We typically group ourselves, regardless of our social, economic, religious or political standing, into the 'haves' and group others that are different to us into the 'have nots'. Whether it's I have money, they don't, or I have faith, they don't, or I have divine patience, they don't, or I have kindness in my heart. They don't. I know that I certainly fall into that way of thinking, often!
As soon as we think in terms of I have, they don't, we equate our situation to numbers. It becomes a how-much game. I have, because I have more than you.
I believe that this is where we miss GOD's heart for generosity. We become the wealthy contributors to the temple welfare and overlook the widow who gave her entire livelihood. We overlook those that have something to offer, all because we perceive their offering to be inferior to ours. Generosity is born in our attitude, not in our abundance.
Generosity is not just a number - it's an attitude.
I believe that we are all here to exercise someone else's generosity. GOD has given you something that He wants you to share (bless!) somebody else with. In this same way, there is somebody else that has been called to bless you today!
GOD's not interested in the gift, He's interested in the heart with which it is given. He loves the cheerful giver!
I believe that we are all here to exercise someone else's generosity. GOD has given you something that He wants you to share (bless!) somebody else with. In this same way, there is somebody else that has been called to bless you today!
GOD's not interested in the gift, He's interested in the heart with which it is given. He loves the cheerful giver!
May I encourage you today to expand the way that you view other people and not to limit their potential to bless you. Grace was extended to us as the perfect act of generosity. Something had to be given to those who did not deserve, a sacrifice that was so valuable that it would be all-embracing and never expire!
Giving is true having. ~ Charles Spurgeon
"It is easy to think of philanthropy as something done by the very wealthy, or big foundations, or prosperous companies. Actually, of the more than $300 billion that Americans give to charity every year, only 15 percent comes from foundation grants. Just 6 percent comes from corporations. The rest comes from individuals."
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Very interesting stats - thanks Ant!
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