Scripture
“‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” Luke 21:3-4 NIV
Observation
Jesus was at the temple teaching and preaching the gospel. Among his audience, there were the common people, the teachers of the law, the chief priests, the elders, and the Sadducees.
Then he saw the rich men casting their gifts into the temple’s treasury. And there was also a poor widow put in two small coins of copper.
The prophet Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations teaches us that in times of hardship, we must remember that the Lord is all we have, He is all we need, so we should put all our trust and hopes in Him alone.
“I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” Lamentations 3:24
Application
The primary reason to give our tithes is not to help the church. The primary reason to give is to remember the dependence we have on God. It is not about returning to God the leftovers, or what we did not use, or what we did not need this month. But it is the first fruits of our labor. It is to recognize that God is everything I need, and everything I have comes from Him. Tithes are giving back a portion of what belonged to God in the first place.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your provision that supports me every day. When I give back to you a portion of what you gave me, I pray that I always bring to my heart and remember You are my provider. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
