Mark 12:43-44

Mark 12:43-44 – Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on.”

We are all told to give. God told us we are to give a tithe of all we have, but don’t give grudgingly. Your gift is rewarded by how it is given; by your heart attitude.

When Jesus was watching these people put their money into the treasury He wasn't looking at how much they were giving. I’m sure there were many of those others who had given the required ten percent. There might have even been some who gave beyond that, but most were giving out of requirement and obligation, not Love. Jesus wants us to give out of our heart.

Here’s my view on giving. If we look in the bible we are told to give a tithe, that’s ten percent, of all we make. Then beyond that we are told to give to those who need help and to be generous. That is the command, but here’s the catch: you must give what you have purposed beforehand to give.

God doesn't want you to feel obligated to give or to give because someone talked you into it. He wants you to give because you want to. I've had people ask me what I thought they should give and I have told them what the bible says. Then I tell them that it really comes down to their choice. They need to be obedient, but they also need to make a decision for themselves what they will give. If they give grudgingly there is no blessing in it anyway. They must give because they want too.

In this story we see a woman give all that she has, and it wasn't a struggle. No one told her she had to give everything, but her Love for God was greater than her Love for her money. She knew that God would take care of her anyway.

That is what Jesus asks of you as well. Put God above your money; above your possessions; above everything else in your life. God doesn't necessarily ask you to give everything, but if He did, would you do it? Would you be able to trust that God will take care of you if you do?

Jesus told us to give and to be generous in all that we have, but if you are not there yet that is OK. Start small. Give what you can, and God will meet you there. As you learn to Love and trust God more, He will tell you what to give and your generosity will increase.