"And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of
his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts,
beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem."
-Ezra
1 :4
In other words, those that have other duties to do
for the Lord and can't actually do the
work of preaching and teaching, they can finance those that do so full
time.
-It doesn't
matter how small or big the blessing is if you give from the
heart-
"And he called unto him his disciples,
and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow
hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her
want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." -Mark
12:43-44
Jesus was in the court where
were the treasure chests, and He watched those who came to deposit their gifts.
Many of the rich brought large sums, which they presented with great
ostentation. Jesus looked upon them sadly, but made no comment on their liberal
offerings. Presently His countenance lighted as He saw a poor widow approach
hesitatingly, as though fearful of being observed. . . . Watching her
opportunity, she hurriedly threw in her two mites, and turned to hasten away.
But in doing this she caught the eye of Jesus, which was fastened earnestly
upon her.
The Saviour called His
disciples to Him, and bade them mark the widow's poverty. Then His words of
commendation fell upon her ear. . . . Tears of joy filled her eyes as she felt
that her act was understood and appreciated. . . . Jesus understood her motive.
She believed the service of the temple to be of God's appointment, and she was
anxious to do her utmost to sustain it. She did what she could, and her act was
to be a monument to her memory through all time, and her joy in eternity. Her
heart went with her gift; its value was estimated, not by the worth of the
coin, but by the love to God and the interest in His work that had prompted the
deed. . . .
The rich bestowed from their
abundance, many of them to be seen and honored by men. Their large donations
had deprived them of no comfort, or even luxury; they had required no
sacrifice, and could not be compared in value with the widow's mite. . . . Her
example of self-sacrifice has acted and reacted upon thousands of hearts in
every land and in every age. It has appealed to both the rich and the poor, and
their offerings have swelled the value of her gift. God's blessing upon the
widow's mite has made it the source of great results. So with every gift
bestowed and every act performed with a sincere desire for God's glory. It is
linked with the purposes of Omnipotence. Its results for good no man can
measure. {Conflicts and Courage page 303}
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