Giving from the Heart

Mark 12:38-44

The older gentleman walked the wooded path with a cane. The night before had been a blustery one, and many sticks littered the path. At each step, he knocked a stick out of the way, preventing others from tripping and twisting an ankle. “I might as well do something with this cane besides just lean on it,” he said to passersby. 

Claire gritted her teeth in her seat on the airplane. It had been a taxing week with her sick mother, and now on this two-hour flight home she was positioned next to a couple with a screaming baby.  “I can’t take it,” she thought.  “I’ll wait until everyone is on the plane,” she thought, “and then I will take an open seat.” In the comfort of that thought, Claire closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The image that came to her in that moment was of her own child having a tantrum, crying until the energy was spent. She opened her eyes and said to the mother, “Would you like me to hold your baby while you get settled?” The mom gratefully handed the child over, who, startled to be passed off, stopped crying. And miraculously, the baby gave a deep shuttering breath, and fell asleep, exhausted. 

Frank filled out an intended giving card for the first time. He was on a fixed income and anticipated surgery which would not be fully covered by insurance. But he had figured out a way to make a commitment and was excited to participate. In fact, this was the first church Frank had ever truly felt a part of; it had become his family, and he wanted to contribute. So he filled out his card for $2 a week. When I saw it, I knew that it was a gift from the heart, and that it was a big one. 

All of these people fit the slogan, “Give it all you got.” Each one was experiencing a form of limitation: impaired mobility, emotional exhaustion, financial constraints. Each one assessed their situation, made the best of it, and contributed to others. They fit this morning, because the widow in our Gospel lesson does the same thing. 

You need to know that widows in first-century Palestine were a vulnerable group. Women depended upon men for their livelihood in that culture,  and widows often had to resort to begging or worse. 

So when in our Gospel today, Jesus saw a widow from afar putting in two copper coins into the temple treasury, he knew it was a sacrifice. It was her offering — a small gift monetarily, especially in comparison to the cost to build the glamorous temple and the offerings of the wealthy. Jesus said,  “This woman has put in more than all those who are contributing the treasury, for all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

Giving out of your poverty. Give it all you got. Sounds like you could almost say, give till it hurts, like sacrifice is meant to be strenuous and painful, a duty rather than a delight. 

But as I have observed, giving from one’s poverty is exactly the opposite. In those moments of feeling like you don’t have enough, that you can’t be enough, to give what you have and find that it makes a difference for someone else—well, honestly, that’s a miracle. That’s the miracle of the guy with the cane, with Claire and the baby, and with Frank and his two bucks. Each one had a poverty of one sort or another: physical, emotional, financial; and yet they summoned joy where there might have only been frustration or defeat. 

The story of the widow points to the truth that God’s economy doesn’t work like we think it does. Instead of resources being limited, so that when we give, we have less, God’s economy functions on moving resources around, and in moving them around, abundance is created. In sharing, we find we have not less, but more to enjoy. 

Perhaps this is why Jesus lifted up this widow who would have otherwise been invisible to the disciples. Jesus wanted his disciples to know that whenever they felt they have nothing left, when they felt defeated and alone, that they could offer up even their poverty and that God would make something of that, too. Jesus wanted his followers to know that whatever we give over to God as an offering, be it meager or mighty, that Jesus sees it for what it is, a gift from the heart. 

Today is Generosity Sunday here at Epiphany, the culmination of our Let at our Light Shine! fall appeal. We have heard stories throughout the past four weeks about how giving from the heart increases your sense of belonging, gives you purpose for living, and creates joy and connection. Today as we turn in our giving intent cards, we make a financial commitment to enable the mission we share: to grow in faith, build thriving community, and transform lives through Christ’s love. In some ways it is a practical act - each dollar given supports the structure that makes ministry possible, including the business of church such as communications, finances and facilities. Each gift also supports the people who make ministry happen: leaders, staff, participants and volunteers.

But it is also a spiritual act. When we make a financial commitment to shining the light of Christ here at Epiphany, we are making a gift of the heart. We are trusting that God will do something good with whatever we offer, multiplying it by adding it to other gifts. And like the folks that I mentioned, we may just find that we receive a gift in return: the gift of expressing gratitude; the gift of making a difference to someone else; the gift of joy because in being an essential part of this ministry. You matter in this community. 

What’s more, this message is not just for Generosity Sunday. It’s not only for the fall appeal or even just about financial gifts. It’s about how we give from the heart in all we do. Each of us here today has a daily opportunity to give of what we have to others and therefore to God. 

Perhaps you feel strong and ready to give or perhaps you feel tapped out, unworthy, or forgotten. Whatever your spiritual, emotional, physical or financial state, make an offering of yourself. It is all God really wants—God wants you, the real you, the entire you. It’s OK to give out of your poverty, as well as your abundance. Whatever you give, when you give from the heart, God will bless it. And God will bless you in your giving.