43 Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had —all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43-44 CSB)
I have written many times about the three things we have to spend; time, treasure and talents. God wants us to be freely giving of all of these things toward Kingdom building. However, it is easy to fall into the trap of giving from our surplus rather than sacrificially.
Sacrifice is something that is not ingrained into who we are as humans. We want to say, if I have time, if I have extra money, are my talents really something God will use. We truly only give from our abundance and less so from a sacrificial standpoint. I know I freely give of my talents but I am stingy with my money and my time. Each of us may have one area where we give willingly, but hold back on others.
God does not need any of our things. He is the God of the universe and has little need for anything. But He knows the impact upon who we are that giving of these things creates. The loving heart, the focused mind and the out flowing of Christ sacrificial giving creates.
Sacrificial giving is far more about creating the character of Christ in us rather than out God needing anything from us. It draws us near to God, shows us what he can do with what we place before Him and creates in us a new being. When we give sacrificially, we grow not only in Christ but as humans.
