Roger Carswell challenges us on the financial front
I read an interesting book recently.
It tells of ‘people whose generosity changed the world’. It recounts stories of some of those who have used their wealth to finance Christians like Wesley and Whitfield, Tyndale and Newton. Rather than self-indulgently using their immense wealth, they invested it in evangelism and the extension of the kingdom of God. We thank the Lord for them and for those who have continued to fund God’s work in a similar way in our generation.
However, there is another take on this, which is too easy to miss. It is a warning to all who are involved in Christian work, who strategise as to how to raise finances, appeal to Trust Funds, the wealthy, or even the Lottery. There is a danger of failing to see what Jesus saw.
Jesus at the treasury
There was an occasion when he sat opposite the treasury of the temple, thoughtfully observing how the people put in money. Many, though not all, ostentatiously gave much, but Jesus focussed on an anonymous woman whose husband had died. We don’t know whether she was young or old, but we do know that she was poor, not by 21st-century standards but by first-century values. So she was very poor indeed.
But then, great hearts have often endured great suffering; though life was hard for her, she clearly loved the Lord.
She dropped into the treasury two coins that were of incredibly little value to most others, but of immense value to her. What she gave would not have contributed much towards the maintenance of the temple, but Jesus saw what she did.
He said nothing to her at that moment but spoke to his disciples, and us: ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’ Jesus did not despise the lowly gift. He never does. And the mites which made no difference in the books of the temple were immortalised by the words of Jesus.
What we give, what we keep
With the Lord, it’s not what we give that counts, but what we keep. It is not the value of the gift, but the cost to the giver that is important. The two mites were more valuable in the sight of God than the abundance given without sacrifice. The widow was rich toward God. The favour of God on a little gift is of more significance than the smile of the recipient of a large gift given without sacrifice, love, prayer and commitment.
I find this very challenging. These truths have not penetrated our minds if:
• we squander the resources God has given us on things that do not count for eternity;
• we are relying on appeals to the wealthy to support our ventures, no matter how visionary they appear;
• we are content with churches or organisations which sit on large accumulated investments justified as ‘safety nets’ for the future;
• we are able to give without really missing what we have donated;
• in our giving, we are seeking control of whatever we are giving to – the widow gained absolutely nothing for herself, this side of eternity, by giving the mites. Our giving is to the Lord, not to gain influence;
• we give out of a sense of obligation rather than from the overflow of a grateful, overwhelmed, loving heart – the hand and the heart are both to give;
• we give little to God and keep much for ourselves – treasures simply will rust and rot anyway;
• we forget that God can do great things with a sacrificial gift – these two mites have stirred Christians for 20 centuries to give generously!
• we forget that actually all that we have is from the Lord anyway – ‘freely we have received…’
Isn’t ‘this woman’ seen again in Mark 14.3-9? It is not the same individual, but the same principle: extravagantly a woman broke an alabaster flask and poured oil on Jesus’ feet. She had done what she could, and her sacrifice was to be told wherever the gospel was proclaimed.
The rich became poor
In fact, we see greatest example of the principle in the one who, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor. He gave his precious blood – his life – as he carried our sin on himself, willingly tasting death for everyone and going to the cold grave for us. We are not our own, but have been bought with a price, therefore let us glorify God in our use of money, and in our giving. Martin Luther said: ‘He who has given someone his heart, will also give him his purse.’
Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold.
