The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"Two Mites"
What can we give to an infinite, eternal Being declared by Scripture to be "the Possessor of heaven and earth?" (Genesis 14:22). "What do we give to the One who has everything?"
The answer is much. Or rather, we give a little accounted by God as much.
"And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites (a few dollars), which make a farthing. 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 12:42-44).
We are all the poor widow. We have nothing God needs, nor do we add to His well being when by our beliefs, attitudes, words, and deeds we "give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name" (I Chronicles 16:29). Our greatest offering, in whatever form, is but two mites tossed into a vast treasure chest of abundance already overflowing beyond measure with "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:8). Our Heavenly Father nevertheless deems our sacrifices of faith and faithfulness as a rich blessing to His heart. "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).
I often illustrate this wondrous truth by the story of my grandson Jackson, 3 years old at the time, who approached me with a quarter and said with childlike sincerity…
"Grandaddy, I want you to have this."
A quarter. Worth so little in 2010, and worth far less now. Except in my heart. There, the quarter glimmered as a sublime treasure in the moment Jackson gave it. It shines no less in this moment, as it always will. I love sharing this story, certainly because of how it blesses my grandfather's heart. Far more, however, I believe the Lord gave this moment to illustrate how our most seemingly insignificant response to Him blesses His heart far beyond any joy we will ever know. It matters not whether our faith and obedience involves great sacrifice, or seemingly little at all. "The Lord taketh pleasure in His people" declared the Psalmist, including so much pleasure in a widow's two mites that He told His own story of being blessed by what seemed a most meager offering of "I want You to have this" (Psalm 149:4).
Let us make this personal. We must realize the place we each have in God's heart, and the potential we have to bring joy to One so worthy of receiving it. No one else could have touched my heart in the way Jackson touched it so long go (although our granddaughters and younger grandson each have their own "I want you to have this" moments that no less bless my heart). You have ways to touch God's heart with sacrifices of faith and faithfulness I do not possess, even as I have my own such opportunities. We will not presently see a smile, hear an audible response, or feel the warmth of His physical presence as we bless God's heart. However, as we remember the Bible's revelation of how He views His trusting sons and daughters in Christ, we can be sure our seemingly insignificant offerings, our two mites, will elicit a response in the heart of our Father as did a widow long ago, and a grandfather not so long ago.
"The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy."
(Psalm 147:11)
Weekly Memory Verse
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8)
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