Friday, December 08, 2006

Pigs Without Reservation

Pigs Without Reservation

And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. -- Luke 21:1-4; King James Version

You've all heard the story, but it bears repeating. Two farm animals, a chicken and a pig, noticed a very hungry child. The pig said, "Isn't that pitiful? That poor child is starving!"

To wit, the chicken replied, "Yes, someone should help that child!"

"What do you suppose we do, Mr. Chicken?" asked the pig.

"I think," offered the chicken, "that we should provide breakfast for the starving waif."

"That, my dear Mr. Chicken," said the pig excitedly, "is an entirely splendid idea!"

"I'm glad you agree, Mr. Pig," said the chicken, "for I will be all too glad to provide the eggs if you will supply the ham!"

Isn't that the way of things all too often? We recognize a need or a chance to give, but lay the sacrifice out as the burden for SOMEONE else.

It indeed would be easy for the chicken to give eggs, but an utter sacrifice for the pig to give ham.

Too many people give out of abundance, rather than out of sacrifice. I'm like that too. I'm not talking about money only; attention, gifting, time...the list could go on for days.

There are two attitudes reflected in today's passage. The first attitude shown is the attitude that gives only what is not needed. Sure, the rich people dropped in lots of money, but they did not give out of their needed portion, just their excess. The second attitude is illustrated by the poor widow. What she done should not illustrate a certain amount, but a certain spiritual posture; she offered complete and unreserved sacrifice to God. She was as a pig giving ham. She wasn't worried about "what would come of her", because she had trusted all of herself to God. Her actions rebuke all who would have a worldly, selfish spirit.

The life (and stuff) given to God is not robbed of happiness. Rather, such a life has found happiness as a treasure hidden in a field and has sold all that they might buy the field. The treasure is a life with God! Happiness in the temporal can never be manufactured or purchased anyway. It is of God to have temporal security and happiness. You can lay your last dollar against such an investment. More so, such a life lived here will insure crowns of victory in the hereafter.

Think of the soldiers we all so dearly admire; we know that to serve our country is to lay down one's life. If we so revere them on this earthly plain, shouldn't our understanding of ourselves be the same in eternal matters?

This poor widow woman was approved by our Lord because of her "heartitude" (yes, I just made up a new word). The rich folks wanted PEOPLE to approve them. The widow woman wanted God's approval. Those folks had a "metitude" (another one!). The widow woman had a God-bent "heartitude". She had grateful love of God and it showed through her life.

We all should be pigs without reservation. We all should have such grateful love of God that trusts Him in such away that we can give to our own peril.

How's your heartitude today?

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