Week 2 | Day 3 | A Generous Heart

Command:

But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4 (NLT)

Read:

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 few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything —all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)

Reflect:

My mother grew up in a household with few material things. Her family lived in “The Housing Projects” reserved for families that qualified, based on their income. She speaks fondly of those years after World War II, when the world was rebuilding and people were happy that peace had returned. 

As a result of those early years, my mother understood the value of every penny earned. When she became a wife and mother, her circumstances improved. My mother and father were able to buy a brand-new home on a cul de sac, where they raised 4 children. My parent’s decision for my mother to stay home and be there for the kids meant one income for a family of six. We never went without, but we were limited on what we could afford. A monthly trip to a fast food restaurant was our big night out. A car ride to the Midwest to visit our grandparents was our vacation. No fancy restaurants, no plane rides, just a practical way of living.

As the years went on, and her children moved out, I was surprised to learn that my mother had been giving her older sister, $100 a month to help supplement her fixed income. My mother, also on a fixed income, found a way to manage her money to allow for this gift. This went on for many years, until her sister’s death. My mother never shared her giving with anyone. She gave from the small amount she had, like the poor widow in Jesus’s example. When I discovered my mother’s act of generosity a few years ago, I consider her example whenever a need arises within my family and community. I am thankful for her example of how to be a good steward of her resources.

React:

Is there someone in your life that needs your help with time or money? Can you sacrifice a small amount to make a huge difference in someone’s life?

Pray:

Help me to live my life with a generous heart.