Wednesday, August 26

Today’s Readings: Psalm 2; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; Mark 12:35-44; James 1:12-18; Psalm 132

In one of the first churches I served there was a wonderful woman whose name was Gretchen. Gretchen was a developmentally delayed woman who was in her 40’s. She had been involved in the urban church for several years, and during this time she found a variety of ways to contribute to the life of the church. She wrote poetry that was shared with the congregation; she sang robustly at each of the hymns she knew during the worship service; she gave some of the world’s best hugs during the coffee hour; and she had one of the warmest smiles a person could ever hope to see. Gretchen may not have been able to contribute much financial support to the life of the church – but let me tell you this: the church wouldn’t have been the same without her. Every time I read the story of the widow’s mite as contained in today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark, I think of Gretchen. That’s because the moral of the widow’s story – and Gretchen’s - is the same. That moral was best summed up in Jesus’ own words: “she gave her all.” Jesus juxtaposed the widow’s contribution with others who simply “gave what they’ll never miss.” If Jesus were to characterize the place from which you give – whether that giving is in the form of time, talents, or treasures – how would he describe it? Would he say that you gave something that you would never miss, or would he say you gave your all? Til next time…