Good morning, Dear Friends,
Thanks to a particular television show, those of my generation will recognize what the numbers “90210” mean. 90210 is not just a zip code; it’s a symbol of money, power, prestige, and privilege. Beverly Hills is not just an address — Beverly Hills is a lifestyle.
Although we try not to admit it to ourselves, the truth is that today, more than ever, we are a society that judges everything and everyone according to monetary value. We assume that if something costs a lot, it must be good — if another version costs even more, it must be better. That’s why when some colleges have raised their tuition, their enrollment swells. If it costs more, it must be better!
Whatever happened to the beauty of simple gifts? The dignity of small gestures? The grace to appreciate good will and good wishes? An episode from the life of Jesus is recorded in Mark 12:38-44 when Jesus commented on the small contribution of a widow in the Temple, just a few coins. After all the wealthy people put large sums of money into the Temple treasury, Jesus said that this widow had put in more than all the rest, because she gave “everything she had.”
To make sense out of Jesus’ pronouncement, we have to radically adjust our value system. We have to learn to judge life according to a different set of scales. When we do, we see a devoted woman not afraid to give all she has to God. We hear Jesus proclaim that this widow has made a genuine sacrifice, given her whole life because of her faith. We look ahead to a vision of Jesus on the cross — making the ultimate sacrifice, giving his “whole life” for the sake of us all. We come to understand that the widow’s mite is really the might of love!
In one of his books, Hal Brady tells of a bishop who was trying to raise a million dollars for missions. I think his story illustrates the point of the widow’s mite. He said that the bishop received in the mail many discouraging letters, except for one from a little boy. When the bishop opened it, out tumbled a badly wrinkled dollar bill. In the letter the boy had written, “I’m so glad you’re going to get a million dollars for missions. I’m going to help you get it, too. Here’s a dollar toward it. It’s all I’ve got now, but when you need more, call on me!”
In that little boy’s words is the spirit that could change the world. “It’s all I’ve got, but when you need more, call on me.” As Christians, we are recipients of the greatest gift of love ever given, the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ for our sake. We are truly rich beyond imagination. Can we, like the poor widow, find the courage to share the wealth we hold? Can we dare to pour out our whole heart, our whole being, our “whole life” into the love-starved corners of this world?
In the name of the One who gave himself for us,
Bruce Jones
Pastor Imagine Church
