It probably would have made many church people a bit uncomfortable. It certainly would have fanned the flames of those who say, "church only talks about money". It would have made it to facebook - "preacher watches and counts how much people give." The event is recorded in Mark 12:41-44:
"Sitting across from the offering box, He was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins - a measly two cents. Jesus called His disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford - she gave her all."
She dropped in the two smallest coins available, but Jesus said "she gave extravagantly" - wow, what a compliment from Jesus.
There were other givers who gave a greater amount of money, but she gave all she had. They could not let go of what they possessed. It is one thing to possess wealth but quite another to be possessed by wealth.
Who is the extravagant giver - the one who has a lot, but is stingy or the one who has little, but is generous?
Who is the extravagant giver - the one has to be constantly coaxed to give, or the one who gives voluntarily?
Who is the extravagant giver - the one who will give up pleasures for the work of God or the one who will not contribute to the work of God if it costs him pleasures?
The ones who "hold on" to what they have feel they are the owners of the wealth, but the extravagant givers know that God is the owner of everything they have.
Sometimes the work of God's Kingdom is hindered by those who don't have the heart of this widow. They feel that things in the world should be nice, but things in the church should be "just get by", and they oppose those who feel that God's business deserves to have first-class equipment, facilities, and provisions.
The choice is yours:
Be rich in things and extravagant in self-indulgence or be extravagant in giving and rich in all things!!
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