Friday, July 21, 2006

What Does Your Giving Prove?

This week I have been thinking through Mark 12:41-44. In this passage, we find Jesus sitting across from the place where the tithes and gifts are collected in the temple courts. It is Passover in Jerusalem and the place is really busy. It is a big week of collection for the Priests.

As He is sitting there, He is watching how much individual people give to the collection. This leads to the place where I've been dwelling this week. How would our giving be different if we knew that Jesus was sitting across from us in the pew this week and He saw how much we placed in the offering plate. Would our giving be more than what we typically give?

There's more to it than this, though. Would your motivation for giving change? Think about this...if Jesus knows everything, then He also knows how much is in your checking account, savings account, money market account, portfolio, retirement fund, etc. He even knows your net worth when you combine everything you own with everything you earn. Therefore, He knows the proportion in which you are giving. And, this is a clear indicator as to what you are treasuring in life.

When you give to the local church along with other charities that benefit those in need, do you use that as a time to examine your heart? Do you use that time of writing a check to examine what it is you really treasure in life? Perhaps we should take advantage of opportunities to recalculate our treasure more often?

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