Big Takeaway: Jesus isn’t concerned about the amounts we give. He’s concerned about the sacrifice and heart behind what we give.
Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day?
As a mostly stay-at-home mom, certain days feel like they rush by like a gust of wind. At the end of those days, I find myself brushing my teeth with my pink toothbrush, looking in the mirror at the bags under my eyes wondering where each hour went.
We've all been there, right?
Maybe your toothbrush is a different color, but you know what I'm talking about.
This quick pace of life stirs tension in our hearts and minds, and we're forced to make choices throughout each day:
Do we wake up earlier than normal to read our Bible or do we stay in bed to get more sleep?
Do we tackle our laundry lists as quickly as possible (that probably includes doing laundry) instead of pausing to pray or enjoying a moment of solitude?
We’re left with this arms-in-the air, “What do I do?” feeling sometimes, right?
After sharing this tension with a close friend, she kindly pointed me to a familiar story in scripture that helped me gain a perspective I’d love to encourage you with today.
In Mark 12:41-44, we read about a time when Jesus sat down near a collection box in the Temple. He watched people open their palms one by one as they dropped their offerings into the box. The rich folks dropped in large amounts of money, their surplus.
After some time had passed, I imagine Jesus tilted His head to the side, captivated, as He watched a poor widow walk up to the collection box and drop in two small coins.
According to NLT Bible commentary, the widow's offering was worth a full day of pay. As a widow, she would have had no source of income after her husband’s death. These two small coins were all the widow had that day, yet she offered them to God.
In verse 43 (NLT) we read, “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.”
Although this story is about giving money, I think Jesus’ message applies to our time and attention as well.
As busy people with stuffed calendars, combined with feelings of guilt over what gets missed, may we remember the widow. May we offer God all that we have today.
Some days our best offering will be minutes. Some days our best offering will be hours.
Jesus isn’t concerned about the amounts we give. He’s concerned about the sacrifice and heart behind what we give.
Friend, if you’re in a season like I am where life feels like a zig-zag over a straight line, I encourage you to show up each day with your two coins! Give God all you have and allow Him to fill your mind, body, and spirit in only the way He can.
Reflect:
What are your “two coins” today? In other words, what's the best amount of undistracted time and focus can you offer God?
Plan for the week. When I sit down on a Sunday night or Monday morning and plan my quiet time for the week ahead, I’m more likely to stick to my plan. Try setting realistic goals. For example, you can start by scheduling 15-minute blocks of time on your calendar three days a week. Hold yourself accountable to that time the same way you would a work meeting, and commit to giving God your full attention!