Mark 12:43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

We have great trouble grasping Kingdom economics, because we are limited to the physical plane of things. We acknowledge that God created the universe just by speaking it into being, but we have trouble grasping emotionally that He is never at a loss for finances. We are entranced by numbers, and likewise tormented by them. We are indeed to be faithful stewards of the finances God makes available to us, as Jesus made very clear multiple times, but we need to remember, emotionally as well as intellectually, the principle Jesus is expressing here. Because God has no need of our finances, what He desires is our hearts, and our use of finances is a clear demonstration of our heart. The poor widow in this incident was without question blessed handsomely by God, but quite probably not financially. She was putting into practice something Jesus famously taught early in His ministry: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) In the next verse, Jesus tells us that she gave God everything she had to live on. Humanly speaking, we want “the rest of the story,” telling us how God paid off her mortgage and so on, but we aren’t given that information. If we were, too many people would be tempted to “give to get,” motivated by greed rather than love for God. We are never to be careless with finances, but they are to be very low, essentially nonexistent, in our priorities.

I am getting fresh lessons in this area. Personally, over a year ago Cathy received a sizable inheritance from a relative she didn’t know thought much about her. We were totally unprepared emotionally, and have had to make a number of adjustments. Right now we are about to take a trip that is costing more than I’ve even thought about spending on a trip before, and that too is requiring mental and emotional adjustments. I talk about “kingdom economics,” but I’m not so proficient in them myself! The other side of that coin is that we will be having our annual church business meeting the week after Easter. We have a brother in the church who is from a strongly denominational background, and he has been harping on our budget. As a legally registered church, we have to notify the government of our budget, because there are plenty of religious scams around, so we do that, generally just echoing the previous year’s expenditures. However, in the 40+ years this church has existed, we have never set financial goals, “giving goals.” In fact, we don’t pass a plate in the service, but have an offering box in the foyer. Giving is between the believer and God, and I never want to “put the screws on” to get people to give. That would make it a tax and not an offering, and God’s Church doesn’t run on taxes. I want every believer to experience the joy of giving, as well as the joy of seeing God’s provision. I want us as a church to seek and recognize God’s plans for us, knowing that if we indeed seek Him, His kingdom and His righteousness, first, everything we need for that will be provided.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I believe You want me to share it with the congregation on the 12^th. I ask for Your wisdom to do it in love indeed, so that each believer may grow in their love and commitment toward You, and we as a church be and do all that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!