Give yourself

The widow's might!

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
- Jesus (Luke 21:1-4)

On the surface, it may be easy to agree with Jesus' evaluation of this situation. However, if you were the one benefiting from, or rather relying on the gifts, then you might find it harder to get your emotions and worries to agree with Jesus.

I find that when Jesus says or does something different than what would come naturally to me, then I can learn a lot by stopping and asking "why?"

I this case, I think there are few principles at work:

• Jesus kept His eye on the source, not the means. He didn't look to people to provide. Sometimes God used people to provide, like the ladies that donated to His ministry. At other times He broke the law of conservation of mass and multiplied bread.
• Jesus kept His eye on what truly gives life. He didn't primarily find satisfaction in the things people tend to seek with money. He found satisfaction in loving relationships and serving God ("my food is to do the will of Him who sent me" - John 4:34).

I want to spend more time digging into that second one because I think it is harder to see. Even with the first we can still be focused on God providing what we think gives life. The second takes a much deeper perspective change.

Give yourself as charity

I think the principle goes deeper than God caring more about the % than the amount. I think the key is found in "all she had to live on." She gave her life, herself. Sometimes we give in place of ourselves. Maybe you give to missions rather than going. Maybe you pay for an Uber rather than giving a ride. When you have plenty it is easier to give your money than your time.

Jesus challenged the pharisees on their "safe giving" vs "self giving". Their giving was really purchasing praise but similarly we can give enough to feel like we don't need to do more or get our hands dirty.

“Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.
- Jesus (Luke 11:39-41)

I appreciate how the NASB phrases it. Others say things like "give from the heart" but I think that looses some of the weight of "give the heart" (loose translation).

Imanuel

It is no wonder that Jesus appreciated this woman giving herself. This kind of self giving was represented by one of His names: Imanuel - God with us. Not God sent us a nice gift or God pulled us out of our mess or something else equally distant, but: God. With. Us!

If you have been hurt, as most humans have, then you probably know that physical pain comes packaged with emotional pain. It is easy to focus on the physical. It is so tangible, so clear. If that was all that needed healing then God could have airdropped support. Instead He came and lived in our mess. Why? I think in part because even though we appreciate relief from physical pain it takes relationship to heal emotional pain.

Hurricane Helene

When western NC got demolished by hurricane Helene, I gave money to an organization that was sending relief. Then I went with a group of friends to help with the relief effort. It was rather inconvenient. I had to rearrange a number of responsibilities and take PTO. So when the locals wanted to call it a day mid-afternoon, I was a bit miffed. I came to work and there was more to be done!

Instead we went to a prayer meeting with them and hung out while waiting to unload a helicopter that never showed up. When I processed my bitterness I realized that I only saw the physical need and not the more meaningful emotional need. That spending time with them as a friend was relief work.

Many of the people we spent time with got emotional and cried at the end. Sometimes you can get that kind of emotional relief by receiving money, necessities, or service, but I think it was mostly because we came to be with them.

Still, a better example of self giving were the locals themselves. It was a beautiful thing to see the churches become hubs for relief work as they go door-to-door checking on their neighbors and sending out teams to help as needs are reported back.

As we stood around as a group before going out on a job, the pastor directed a question to his people: "how are you?" Those words had weight. They were said with understanding. It wasn't a flippant greeting. He knew they were hurting. When we went out to clear someones driveway I went with a girl who lost her apartment. She was clearing the path to someone else's home when she didn't have one herself.

It was easy to see that they were weary. Even if they didn't lose a loved one or a home, many sat out the storm while water was rushing through their basement and trees were crashing around them. Then they go on living while the systems they rely on for life are destroyed. Thats trauma.

I was giving of my excess. I didn't live through that and I would head back to normal in a few days. They were giving all they had to live on!

It may sound odd but I felt jealous of them. Though they went through something terrible it brought about a sense of community and beautiful expressions of love that were truly satisfying to be a part of. They were poor in water and electricity but rich in love.

Conclusion

I think it is easier to understand the first principle, that God is rich and can provide. It is harder to see the second, what truly gives life, what we should truly seek for God to provide. I think that thing is love, expressed as Jesus did in His life by being Imanuel - God with us.

Consider how you give. Do you give from yourself or do you give yourself?