by Dona Hake
God has blessed us with hearts to seek and look to Him everyday. May we seek to bless Him and bless those around us with our love, faith, and godly deeds. Today we will look at the heart of a woman that was a widow. She had very little to live on yet her heart was toward God in her giving. In this portion of scripture we will see that Jesus perceived her heart as he observed the others’ giving.
Luke 21:1-4 (AMP)
” Looking up, [Jesus] saw the rich people putting their gifts into the
treasury.
And He saw also a poor widow putting in two mites (copper coins).
And He said, Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of
them;
For they all gave out of their abundance (their surplus); but she has
contributed out of her lack and her want, putting in all that she had on
which to live.”
” Looking up, [Jesus] saw the rich people putting their gifts into the
treasury.
And He saw also a poor widow putting in two mites (copper coins).
And He said, Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of
them;
For they all gave out of their abundance (their surplus); but she has
contributed out of her lack and her want, putting in all that she had on
which to live.”
As I pondered this scripture from this particular version my eyes were drawn to how Jesus observed how there were some that gave out of the abundance or their surplus. Surplus is something that remains above what is used or needed. Many times people may be guilty of giving only the required amount of what they feel is expected of them whether it be their money, their time or their talents.
Jesus perceived this as grievous because this type of giving is really not from the heart, it is merely being done out of obligation. As Jesus observed this precious widow’s giving He determined her gift to be greater than the sum of all that gave out of surplus.
Let us remember that anything we have been blessed with whether it be our talent, money, good job, etc…is a gift from God, and we need to live in a place of giving our very best. Giving our best is an attitude of the heart that the Lord desires that we embrace. As the widow placed all that she had she knew very well what she was doing. She was purposing in her heart to give all because she understood she would be blessed.
As believers we need to know that we are deliberate in giving our very best. We need to constantly be checking our hearts that we are not being guilty of giving God or others merely what is left over.
God may call upon you to do something, and when you look at your time it seems impossible to accomplish. Know this…if you believe in your heart that it is the will of God, He will provide time. If God is speaking to you to give money, and it is hard to imagine how you can do it…believe Him and He will fill your hands with that offering or gift for you to give. God provides. Plain and simple. When
you believe, God will fill your hands with that which you need!
God may call upon you to do something, and when you look at your time it seems impossible to accomplish. Know this…if you believe in your heart that it is the will of God, He will provide time. If God is speaking to you to give money, and it is hard to imagine how you can do it…believe Him and He will fill your hands with that offering or gift for you to give. God provides. Plain and simple. When
you believe, God will fill your hands with that which you need!