out of

This will just be a brief reflection on a thought that came to me while listening to Francis Chan's book "Forgotten God". He recounted the point when Jesus lifted up the example of the poor widow who gave an offering at the temple. Others had gone before her and given from their wealth, but she gave out of her poverty, and before God it was admirable/worthy/costly/sacrificial/accepted. The phrase "gave out of her poverty" struck me and I wondered to myself, "What is my poverty?"

I understand the context of the verse, and that financial giving is the "norm" but hear me out for a minute. I feel like the challenge here is not only to give from our poverty financially (we all can, with joy, give more than we're comfortable giving), but from other aspects of our lives which are limited. What do average Californians feel they don't have much of?... time. Our time is costly, precious, and very limited. That doesn't mean that it isn't wasted as well, but we can easily fill every ticking second DOING things, even all good things.

In relation to the poverty of time, I am particularly at a point where time is fleeting. Just this past night I finished a class, but I still have four more to complete before the middle of December. Two of those classes are compressed and only recently started. I'm genuinely wondering if I can conceivably survive all the homework that is marching towards me (with bayonet points it seems). It is out of the poverty of my time that I give it to God for fellowship and the ministry of the Spirit. This isn't a sly way of slacking or socializing. Chan emphasizes the importance of spending time "alone", unplugged, communing with God and listening to the Holy Spirit. With my time as precious as it is to me, I give at no small cost because I count Him worthy.

What are the things which you are poor in? Is it serving others? Speaking words of encouragement? Expressing thankfulness? Loving people who smell bad? Listening to people who talk too much and/or entirely about themselves? The list of things which we're simply terrible at goes on and on, but knowing what you're poor at is an opportunity to commit to doing it (at least occasionally) as an offering to the glory of God. One just came to mind for me: Doing homework. I'm terrible at it, but perhaps I can do it as an offering or "difficult worship", because I consider Him worthy of it.