Spare Change

One of the texts that is a part of today's Daily Office Advent readings (for more info on that, check out www.crivoice.org) is Luke 20:41-21:4. At the end of chapter 20, Jesus warns his disciples about the religious leaders who are making a show out of following God.  As we turn the page to chapter 21, Luke provides an illustration centered around the offfering buckets.

The scene opens with Jesus observing the people coming and bringing their offerings and placing them in the coffers.  Luke first describes those who are rich coming and casting their money in, followed by a poor widow who casts in her two leptas (the smallest coin that existed at the time - basically two pennies).  In response Jesus says, "She has given more than everyone else because they gave out of their abundance, but she gave all she had."

In the CEB it reads, "All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she...has given everything...."

Ouch!

Sometimes when you read the scriptures, it's appropriate to say, "Amen!"

Sometimes the best response is, "Ouch!"  And most of the time that is true with the words of Jesus.

It's so easy to give to God out of our spare change - and I'm not talking just about money (but in our culture that can often be the focal point).  The larger principle Jesus is pointing us to, calling us out on, is that we tend to give to God out of our leftovers, our srcaps, not from the best of who we are and what we have.

Advent is a reminder to us that God gave us His everything, and His desire is for us to give Him our everything in response.  After all, is spare change the best response to everything?