How much is enough?

Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. He said, ‘I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on.’ (verses 1-4)

Read Luke 20:41 – 21:4

How much do you consider is enough to put on the offering plate?

Jesus saw the poor widow give her two little copper coins. He said that she gave more than all the rest, even the rich with their large sums. He saw her as giving a hundred per cent of all she owned, not just ten per cent of her income as prescribed by the Law of Moses.

I wonder how she felt about having such a small amount to give, especially as the others were giving so much more. She may have been embarrassed. She may have also thought, what can my two miserable copper coins do? She could have given nothing and thought, ‘God will understand’, but instead she laid herself on the line. She gave all she had. What trust! What courage! She gave, not knowing where her next meal was coming from or how she would care for herself and maybe her family.

So, how much is enough? It’s not a matter of amounts or percentages. It’s a matter of giving with courage and trust. When we give, it’s a matter of giving out of love for God who gave himself for us. How much do you consider is enough?

We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be;
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, 0 Lord, from thee.  (William Walsham How, 1823-1897)

by Merna Thamm, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.