What is generous giving? The poor widow in the gospel might have given very little, but Jesus, knowing the heart behind the giving said, “She has given more than everyone who gave into the treasury.” (Mk. 12:43) For the poor widow, that little was everything. She sacrificed from her poverty, her whole livelihood, denying probably everything for herself. But in spite of this, her whole-hearted giving did not make her feel that she was being deprived of anything. The poor widow was not afraid of giving everything she had.
With God, it is not so much the quantity but the quality of the giving. In the new world economy, everyone speaks of how much is the ROI, return of investment. In generous giving, the ROI is not the main concern because it will hold us back from giving generously. Every act of generous giving should be a reflection of one’s generosity and gratefulness to God, because everything comes from Him. "But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. (1Chro. 29:14)
When we think of the ROI, there is that fear of not having enough for the future, for a secured future. That is why generous giving is quality because it is an expression of faith. Generous giving is praise and worship, a trust that God takes care and secures our future.
Without the right attitude and heart, we will always find giving subject to this quote: “We have been weighed, we have been measured and we have been found wanting.” Someone asked me once: “Father, how much should I be giving?” My standard answer is, “Pray and make an honest assessment of your faith, side by side with God’s generosity, then decide how much you want to give, which will reflect your Faith in Him. Believing in the heart that is generous and faith inspired giving transforms people and families.
But also, every time I give that advice it reminds me to make a self-reflection or an honest examination of my own giving. It is also a test of my faith and my character of trusting God with my own finances. Giving is a commitment to stewardship of God’s gift, believing God entrusts greater things to worthy and wise stewards described in Mt. 25:29: “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.”
In the end, the key to understanding how God wants us to give to Temple, in allusion to the poor widow in the Gospel this Sunday is 2 Cor. 9:6-8 “Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” Meaning, God wants our giving to be an expression of our faith and wants us to give from our hearts. To give freely and cheerfully what we can makes it truly a gift.
Be in God,
Fr. Bing