A Privilege of the Poor

Randy Alcorn once said, “Giving isn’t a luxury of the rich, it’s a privilege of the poor.” Keep this in mind when you are considering the size of a gift or donation. A generous gift can be defined as "big" or "small”; it simply depends on the heart of the source. Take the widow with the two small coins in Mark 12:41-44 for instance:

"Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."

This woman gave two coins in the collection box of the temple, and Jesus said that because the gift cost her so much, it was worth much more than someone who gave out of surplus. She was generous, though most would see her gift as "small".

Being generous goes way beyond where and how we allot our financial resources. Generosity is all about sharing the ownership and responsibility of the cause where we are called to make a difference. Whereas someone might be generous financially, someone else might be generous with their time or connections. Another might commit to pray with you regularly or be willing to sit on your board. There are so many ways to be generous in the context of partnership.

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