The story of the widow giving her two mites (in the New Testament) has always been precious to me. There is something so beautiful about someone who gives ALL that she/he has that she/he might please God. And lately, I came to know of someone doing this. Before I tell you this story, I admit that her actions seem VERY unwise in the eyes of those looking on at the giver. This young woman lives on $50 per month with her room and board graciously given to her by a family member. All of her bills must be paid with this money, all of her "extras" including medicine, specialty foods for health, etc. $50 per month in AMERICA is not much at all to live off of, unless you're in grade school perhaps.
She knew that God was prompting her to give $25 per month to a missionary. She also knew that God was telling her to give $38 per month to sponsor a child in India, who has so much less than her. I guess she's not very good at math. Last time I checked, 25+38=63...So she's actually giving something like 126% of her income each month.
She was afraid to take that step, of giving. After all, giving 126% of your income is insane, right? How would she ever pay her bills, etc. now? It was late one Tuesday night that she swallowed her fear and hit the "pay now" button on the Compassion International website, sending off her $38 gift. And she was excited. Really excited. She shared that she's never been any good at giving: it has always been a struggle for her. She grew up in a household with parents who gave faithfully, but she'd seen them struggle financially most of her life. She'd gone on missions trips and always struggled to raise the money needed. Her parents had even planned to be missionaries, but had been unable to raise the financial support they needed to go. They never went. While she says she doesn't care much for money, she admits that in reality, its because she hasn't ever had much of it. And she knew it was God at work in her heart because she WAS excited to give--something that had never happened before.
Well, Wednesday came and went...and then Thursday came. "I'm sending you a check for $150. Do whatever you want to with it," a friend emailed her. Needless to say, this young woman was rather ecstatic...she had seen God answer her prayers! Now she could not only sponsor this little girl and give to the missionary she had pledged to support, but she could pay her bills, too!
It may seem like so little...after all, where will the money come from next month to cover the bills?
But, really, according to her, there is no question. "God will provide it. After all, He told us to test Him in our giving. I'm doing that. I may not be very wise in the world's eyes for giving like this, but I trust Him to cover it. And more. He says in His Word that He will. That's good enough for me."
This week's challenge: Are you giving? Do you tithe each month? Do you give to missions? Do you help the poor (even with time/effort/things)? If someone who has so little can do it, just like the widow with her two meager mites did, I guarantee you can. Sure, you might have to cut back on those Starbucks' coffees or eating out 3 times per week, but you can do it...after all--the salvation of the lost is a lot more important than that coffee, right? (I doubt your waistline would mind the relief from those calories either!). And don't get all weird because it's a missionary saying this to you. I'm just repeating what I know to be true: Give because GOD is telling you to give--and He will bless you for doing it!
"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." (Malachi 3:10)
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