The Attitude Of Gratitude!
"Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in
more than all those who have given to the treasury; for
they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her
poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
Mark 12:43-44
Research has shown that, in America, people in the bottom twenty
percent of income brackets give higher percentage of their income
to charity than those who're in the highest twenty percent of income
brackets. The wealthier may give larger amounts of money, but the
lower earners give a higher percentage. Jesus saw this difference
between amount and percentage one day at the temple—and
pointed out which was more commendable.
People were putting offerings in the temple treasury containers.
The wealthy were putting in large gifts out of their wealth—that
is, gifts that required no sacrifice—when a poor widow came up
and deposited two tiny coins: “her whole livelihood.” Jesus then
commended poor widow for her generosity and sacrifice, while
declining to commend wealthy in the same way. The wealthy
gave more money, but the widow gave more heart.
Let your gifts to God and others reflect an
attitude of gratitude for all He has given you.
"The essence of Christian ethics is gratitude."
R. C. Sproul
