The Best Giver in the Church: Part 3

Allen Webster

Topic(s): Blessings, Faith, Priorities

Links to this entire series:

• The Best Giver in the Church: Part 1
• The Best Giver in the Church: Part 2
• The Best Giver in the Church: Part 3
• The Best Giver in the Church: Part 4
• The Best Giver in the Church: Part 5

Jesus’ omniscience tuned His ears to the faintest noise, and He must have heard clearly the falling of two small coins through the neck of that “trumpet.” The widow’s gift made quite an impression on Him. What motivated her to give her last thin dime?

“And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing” (12:42).

She May Have Given Because...

She Loved God.

If she had not given out of love, Jesus would never have complimented her (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). She may have been wearing rags, but beneath those clothes was a heart as pure as gold and a soul as fine as silk. Perhaps as she walked to the Temple she had thought of everything that God had given her. She only had her grocery money with her, but she felt so overwhelmed that she wanted to show God her love. Thinking of all God has given us before making out our contribution check may change the amount of it, too. God has given us even more than He had given the poor widow. He gave us His only begotten Son (John 3:16), every good gift of every day (James 1:17), “life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25), and “every blessing in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3). Paul used Christ’s example of giving to exhort the Corinthians to abound in liberality (2 Corinthians 8:7-9). And, after he exhorted them to sow bountifully (9:6) he reminded them of God’s “unspeakable gift” (9:15). How ungrateful is the person who does not reciprocate the love of God by giving in return. Love is active. It insists upon doing something. It does the big thing if it can; if it cannot, it does the little thing. It adorns a palace if it can; if it cannot, it beautifies a cabin. Our offerings must come from hearts overflowing with gratitude. A gift unwillingly extracted, given with a grudge, given for prestige or of self-pity, is unacceptable to God.

What we spend our money on shows what we love. It is an index to our characters. Our checkbook stubs are a kind of autobiography we write each month. The man who invests largely in books loves literature. The man who spends on software and modems loves computers. The man who empties his pockets on “wine, women, and song” is a pleasure seeker. One who invests largely in the church of Christ is quite likely a Christian. Of course, a man may give liberally and not be a saint, but it is impossible to be a saint and be stingy. The way one uses his money will make or wreck his character. Jesus saw Ananias and Sapphira lie about their giving (Acts 5), and knew that their gift was motivated by love for self instead of love for God. And He killed them. On the other hand, consider the gifts of a father who works long hours to give to a family he loves. His children can’t imagine anyone being more blessed than they are as they open gifts on Christmas morning. But, as a father watches their smiles he has the greater joy. So it must have been with the widow who knew it was more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

She Wanted to Test God's Promises.

She may have just heard a discussion in the temple of God’s challenge delivered four centuries earlier an unpopular prophet named Malachi. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove¹ me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). She may have thought, “I sure need for God to pour out a blessing on me. I think I’ll take His challenge.” There were other Scriptures that promised a blessing—spiritual, if not physical—upon generous givers. Solomon wrote, “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10); and, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (Proverbs 11:25). “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). She could have even overheard Jesus’ exchange with Peter: “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matthew 19:27-29). She could have been there when Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount and said, “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Of course, we have the added advantage of Paul’s instruction: “he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6b). Some of this may have been on her mind that day.

She Wanted to Inherit Something Greater In Heaven.

She may have heard Jesus say, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). One motive of giving is self-interest. We want an inheritance in heaven. There is a difference in selfishness and self-interest. If it is wrong to care for ourselves (Matthew 19:19), Jesus would not have told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Selfishness must not be a motive for giving, but interest in one’s eternal good is legitimate. Where is an investment completely safe? Real estate? Conservative stocks? Jesus has a better plan. Put your riches in heaven. No one can take it from us if we hide it inside the pearly gates. No crook can beat us out of it. Wars, famines, floods, disease, nor death can take it from us. Every Lord’s Day when we sacrifice to give of our means we may have the full assurance of knowing that it is a wise investment and no one can ever take it from us. Every dollar we give to support the Gospel or to feed an orphan or to promote Christian education is a heavenly investment that no one can take from us.