Extravagant

Luke 21:1-4 1-4

Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate.

Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies.

He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"

Jesus knew a teaching moment when he saw one.

And, he has an interesting definition of "largest."

Even though the widow in this story gave "two pennies," one of the smallest amounts of the day, Jesus said she had given the most.

He has a different kind of math, and he's trying to teach the rest of us his ways.

You see, she gave the most because she, "gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford...she gave her all."

2008 has been one of of the worst economic years in the U.S. and around the world that we've seen in recent memory.

Many businesses are suffering...and churches are no exception. When I attend clergy meetings, I often hear a common theme: "we are so far behind budget...we don't know what we will do."

The people are struggling...we feel like there is scarcity, and certainly not abundance.

What can we do?

Well...it's pretty simple.

We can trust. No matter what the news says, we can choose not to live in fear.

Jesus is telling us that there really aren't any excuses. I mean none.

We don't have too little. Our offering isn't so small that it doesn't count. We don't have to take care of ourselves when God wants to take care of us. We can always, always choose to give.

And it's not the amount that God gives. It's the relative amount of trust it takes in the giving.

"She gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford...she gave her all!"

And it was the largest offering of the day. There is no budget problem that trust can't overcome.

Prayer: Father, we pray for the operating budget at Shepherd of the Hills, and at all of your churches in our community, nation and world. Help us to close the gap in our operating deficit so that we don't take on debt in the name of ministry. We pray that the vision of our CCC Team to give 100 turkeys to those in need this Thanksgiving will be fulfilled. Teach us to be giving people of faith.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.