No Amount is Too Small
This poor widow has put it more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. (Mark 12:43)
Vox published an article by Celia Ford that announced a national generosity crisis. Ford states, “Twenty million fewer households donated in 2016 than in 2000.” Ford continues, “And the money that is being given is increasingly coming from a small number of super-wealthy people.” These statistics break my heart, not just because of the lack of resources for those who do not have necessities but for all those who suffer because they are not giving.
After my father left, my mother, brother, and I lived in a single-wide trailer in the second-coldest town in the continental United States, according to 1970’s statistics. We were considered what we now define as “the working poor.” My mother felt painful guilt when the church or other organizations asked for money. It wasn’t until decades later that she turned a corner and began to appreciate that giving isn’t about the amount but the intention.
Many people feel that unless they can give thousands or millions to an organization or institution, their gift doesn’t matter. The trap we’ve fallen into as a society is that too many people now don’t give to anything other than their families. We’ve forgotten that one gift might look meaningless, but those small gifts add up to a life-changing number when hundreds, thousands, and millions of people give a little. Even a few dollars a year adds up when others also give. Don’t ever think your small gift is without merit or meaning.
Finally, the working poor also need to give because it reminds us that we are part of the community and are indispensable. It also affirms the promise that God can take our small gift and turn it into something extraordinary. Jesus affirmed that wisdom in affirming the widow’s mite. Do not give up on giving. Alone, your gift might not seem substantial compared to the 1%. But when we 99% give our smaller gifts, together, our generosity can move mountains and save lives. Then, when we pray, and God’s hand is added, it multiplies in ways that transform the world. A widow’s mite brings joy to others and wholeness to the one who offers it. Whether you live in a mansion or a single-wide trailer without adequate insulation, you have something to give. We all find joy in how God multiplies our offering, makes our gift relevant, and fills our hearts with joy and meaning.