Basics

Kids participating with the Cool Disciples have been learning this month, about giving. They’ve learned how our offerings can be more than a monetary gift; they’ve had two chances to work at it during Sunday’s Cool! One week they helped make decorations that will be used for Vacation Bible Camp in July. Last week they made cookies to share with Alpha House. Each week they’ve listened to the story of a poor widow giving all that she had (in Mark 12:41-44). What was Jesus trying to say about this widow’s extravagant gift?

This woman was giving all that she had out of trust that God would supply all of her needs.

God is good; all the time. This is something we know inherently. But do we live as though we believe it?

How about talking about it with your family! Gather a Bible and a fist full of coins (the more the merrier). First read the story together in Mark 12:41-44. Then gather everyone around the computer and scroll down only far enough to expose a speech bubble and its question.

Time Out. Talk about…Why do you suppose Jesus was watching people give their offerings?

No right or wrong answer to this one. Did you know the subject Jesus taught the most about was money? It’s almost as if Jesus were sitting there, waiting for a teachable moment!
Time Out. Talk about…The teachable moment arrives when a widow gives her offering. What is a widow?

A widow is a woman whose husband has died. Most women in Jesus’ day didn’t work. Widows had to be taken care of by their family. It is likely that this woman didn’t have anyone to support her as, Jesus seemed to know that she was poor.

Time Out. Talk about… Jesus had watched rich people drop lots of coins into the offering box. (Since all money was coins it would have made a lot of noise going in!) Yet Jesus said that the poor widow had put in more than all the others! How can her gift be larger than what the richer people gave?

Here’s where your coins come into play. It’s probably not a significant pile of cash, but let’s just say: you are rich! Look at all the money you have! You’ve got plenty!

Pick up two coins. Since you are rich do you suppose you would notice if you had two coins less? (Probably not.)

Hold just the two coins and put the other coins away. Now you are poor! You have only two coins! What happens if you give away these two coins?

This is what Jesus meant; the rich people gave a lot because they could afford to do so; they had plenty left over. But the widow gave even though she was poor. She put in everything she had. She gave all she had to live on!

Time Out. Talk about…If the widow gave everything, where did she expect her next meal to come from?

The women had the chance to give a gift. She gave all she had, trusting that God would take care of her!

Jesus is not saying we have to give everything we have. He is saying that the amount of the gift isn’t really important but the attitude in which a gift is given is important. Jesus wants us to trust God to provide for our needs! Let me tell you: It’s not easy trusting God like that! But you know what? It makes me giddy when I do and he provides! (Ask me about it.)

When we begin to share abundantly, then we make room in our lives for God to bless us abundantly.

What can help you to live as though you believe in God’s abundance?

— Carol