Getting ready for work this morning, I read a quick story about a homeless person in Charlotte, NC that gave all that they have this past week as an offering. And it started to get me thinking, if I was giving all I have or not?  The story has taken off, but it is about a homeless person that gave all that they had, which was $0.18 as an offering, but it was all they had.

We go about our lives, we drive to and from work and we see those that genuinely need help. Are we giving all that we have?  And I really struggled with this concept this afternoon. I thought about how much we are giving of our time to church, our finances to church and charity and our time to our kids and it probably isn’t enough. And I really wondered if I am giving all I have?

Today I had my yearly evaluation at work and I got what I expected, sort of. I got the level of evaluation as I expected, but the compensation was much less than I had hoped for. I was praised for my leadership and how an asset I am, the level that my team performs and in the manner that they carry themselves. I was commended for the work that we have done this past year, the fact that I manage two different departments and how it never seems to phase me when I am presented with last minute requests. Was I disappointed when I was told of my raise, sure. No, that isn’t fair, I was mad. I was really more disappointed than mad to be honest.

But today, something different was going on inside of me on my drive home. I quickly remembered the story that I read this morning and I wondered allowed, Am I giving, all I have? And I struggled with it. I wondered if I was holding on to things. I wondered if I was letting my disappointment cloud my judgement and gratefulness tonight that I have a job and a good family? And after picking up two really tired boys and getting them home, something happened. Baby B said his name. But, more importantly, he said his name correctly. This was borderline a miracle, as we have gone through speech therapy for him, we have spent the last year working with him on the pronunciation his name and tonight, he said it.

Tonight, as I read: Mark: 12:41-44, which is often called the Widow’s Offering from the bible, I am reminded of today and the bigger picture.

The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Tonight, I realized how blessed that I am. I realized that though I might not give all I have, I try to give all that I can. I give as much as I can throughout the month to charity and the church, ensuring that we have enough to live off of and the extra goes to others that have less. And tonight, I realized how the homeless person, though might have been embarrassed because was all they had, gave all that they could. Tonight, I give all I have, to those that need it. I give all I have to my family and friends. I give all I have to those that need it the most. But tonight, Baby B, gave me all he had, because tonight, he said his name correctly.