Mark 12:41-44 " Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, " I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of wealth; but she, out of poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on."
How many times do we only view the surface of an issue? Imagine winning the lottery, say $100 million cash - after taxes. In you mind you start to think about helping others, maybe a charity or the church, so you give them a million dollars. People might be impressed with your generosity, heck they might even name a scholarship or put a plaque on the wall for you - but what did you really do? You gave one percent! You gave a penny for every dollar you won.
In our society we are caught up in flashy and new things - the bigger the better. We forget that God views the heart - that is what matters. As a parent we sometimes receive some "unique" gifts - but no matter what their physical appearance is, they are precious. Until I had my own children I never truly understood how my mom could be content with a construction paper card for a present. How could she not care that I did not spend hundreds of dollars on a new gadget, she liked the card - she actually preferred the card. Why? - It came from the heart.
God wants us to give from a joyful heart and to trust His words that He will provide. We must learn a lesson that is totally against our modern society - we must learn to be content. We can not compare ourselves, our situations, or anything to others. We must understand that one person's blessing is another person's curse. It is very easy to feel sorry for someone or blame God for a circumstance, but we have to stop and ask ourselves this question - "Through whose eyes am I seeing things?" - if you answer your own, then you are most likely missing the big picture. God's plans and His ways are not bound by the rules we live by, do not try to understand everything - we were not meant to. Faith is what allows us to accept that God is God and we are not.
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