And Jesus here changed their approach by saying, “Assuredly, 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 entire livelihood.” This means that our giving is measured based on our faith, motives, and willingness.
Giving is not only for the wealthy; in fact, even the poor are permitted to
give. And this is a great source of inspiration for those who have little money
but a big heart to give.
God wants us to invest our faith in him with everything that we have. This
reminds me of Deuteronomy 8:3, when the Israelites were starving in the
wilderness. They were starving, so God provided them with manna. This was the
Lord’s will in teaching them to rely on Him.
You’re not enslaved to give everything you’ve got. However, according to the
Bible, in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “each one must give as he has decided in his
heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Heaven
accepts every offering made in faith and with all of one’s heart.
When I was in university, I remember failing an exam and being given the
opportunity to rewrite it. I was grateful for the opportunity because I knew
that not everyone had the opportunity to rewrite an exam. I studied very hard
because I knew if I didn’t pass, I’d have to repeat the module the following
year. I made sure I was well prepared.
The next morning, I awoke feeling extremely ill, and it was the day for me
to write the exam. I didn’t have a choice but to go write it. The agony was
excruciating. I had the impression that God had abandoned me. And instead of
focusing on the exam sheet, I focused on the pain. I felt like crying because I
couldn’t cope, and before I knew it, time had passed. I had to submit a nearly
empty paper. I sobbed when I got to my room. I cried myself to sleep, and I’ve
never cried so hard in my life.
I slept, and in the middle of the night, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I
awoke, there was no one there. Then I sat on my bed, reflecting on the events
of the day. I knelt down, my eyes welling up with tears, and prayed to God.
The Lord said, “For you to walk out of this situation, fast and give every
cent you have to church,”. And I knew it was God’s voice speaking to me. I
trusted his voice and knew he was not a man who lied. I followed his
instructions and offered everything I had to church.
I checked the system on the day of my exam results. By God’s grace, I passed all of the modules with good marks, and I gave God all of the glory and praise. The last sum of money that God told me to give wasn’t much; it was so small. Remember, I was still a student at the time. But I trusted God by being willing to give up everything I had, including my livelihood, for God’s sake. God is pleased not only with cheerful givers, but also with those who put their trust in him.
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