The Gift that Matters

Sacrifice is often undermined in our self-focused, overly ambitious society. Even when we give, we expect to receive back. While it is certainly important to prioritize keeping healthy boundaries, cultivating mutual relationships, and taking care of your wellbeing, we are also called to experience self-sacrificing ministry.

Towards the conclusion of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He brought the disciples to the temple full of religious leaders who made a point of praying loudly and pointing out others’ flaws rather than serving from the heart. Jesus recognized the faithful gift of a poor widow who, while only donating a couple coins, was giving all she had to live on because of her love for God.

I’ve read this story several times, but what stood out to me today was the fact that we don’t hear of how her needs were met afterwards. Jesus doesn’t hand her a huge bag of coins in compensation. She doesn’t seem to have a plan of how to pay her bills. We stay in the moment: what matters is the gift she’s giving now.

Before moving forward, I want to point out that this sacrifice of hers doesn’t come at the expense of her own value. Often, we think we have to belittle ourselves or be put in harmful situations in order to fully sacrifice. Or that we need to overcommit or meet every single need before we’re true followers of Christ.

Yet those sacrifices still draw the attention to us. When we sacrifice for the sake of self-pity or self-importance, we really aren’t sacrificing anything at all.

Notice that this woman was visiting the temple, a place of worship, to praise God and be filled with His gifts. Before she could give of herself, she first had to receive from God.

Jesus’ reaction shows that while she was honored, her sacrifice wasn’t undone. She may not have eaten dinner that night. Perhaps she was put in the vulnerable situation of needing to ask others for assistance thanks to that gift.

What Jesus reveals is that this sacrifice was worth it. The love and trust this woman placed in God through this action was greater than any earthly need or reward.

Today, ask yourself what kind of sacrifice you can give to Jesus this Christmas. Perhaps it’s setting aside your pride and serving others with a humble heart. Maybe it’s stepping out in faith and giving more than you planned for the sake of others. However you feel called, allow Jesus’ love for you to fill all the voids in your life.

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Luke 21:1-4