All She Had

Mark 12:41-45 And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him,and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”


Much has been made of the poor widow and the two copper coins, and I don't want to minimize the message. I wonder however what it is that I give so little of from my abundance. I know the stories in the gospel have more meaning than the obvious. It is easy to put a monetary limit on the nature of this story.  I think however that we hold back and limit what we offer God in more arenas than money.


Some of you know I get hooked into a train of thought and it often takes me time to work it through. This week it has been the place between God and the world, and became stuck in my head through the Casting Crown lyric "caught in the middle". I know I have found excuses for what I hold back from God. Family things, time things, emotional things; things God needs from me, things God wants to restore in me, and other areas perhaps as well.


I think I'm clear after some wrestling with this during this week, and that is that I don't want to accept that I give enough of the all the things that matter, and that I won't be complacent where I'm caught in the middle. Another part of that song questions if we will "trade our dreams for God's". I think God's dreams are where to place my focus and all I have that can help reach them. Then I might be worthy of company with the poor widow.