Tag: Jesus

Jesus notices the Poor Widow

Mark 12:41–44 (NASB95)
41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

I don’t think this is about sacrificial giving. I think this is about dependence, trust, and relationship. The widow did not have Social Security or a retirement plan; she had nothing. Her dependence on God had developed trust in Him and facilitated an ever closer relationship with Him. Giving her last cent to God was saying: “God, I give away my last money to you as my way of saying I am totally dependent on You, I trust You more than money, I love You.”

This is what I think Jesus thought was significant, not what percentage of your disposable and essential income you give. When I am making my daily decisions, and I make my decisions based on my relationship with God and what He wants and not what money dictates; I will have learned this lesson.

Water for kids #8 (Victory)

Last Sunday, on October 20, 2019, in the very cold morning and very warm near noon, Jeremy ran and I walked 13.1 miles. Jeremy’s time was 2 hours and 49 minutes and 34 seconds, my time was 4 hours and 41 minutes and 20 seconds. “Our whole bodies hurt” is, of course, an understatement. But we were happy that we finished.

Thank you for praying, thank you for reading, thank you for giving. Over $600,000 dollars was raised by Team World Vision as a whole during the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon. And over 13,000 kids will get clean water in their village and be able to go to school and lift themselves out of poverty.

I raised with your help, and the help of my wife putting out a Facebook plea during the marathon, around $500. That is 10 kids lives changed that is directly attributed to you. Thank you.

And so, it is over.

Or is it?

The day before the half-marathon I signed up for next year. The wisdom of which I challenged the next day during the middle of the half-marathon :>)

I hate to ask people for money, even for worthy causes. So, this year I asked through WordPress and Facebook, because it was emotionally safer. Over the next 52 weeks I am going to ask you to put $1, $2 or $5 a week towards the lives of kids you may never meet, and for water you may never drink . . . this side of heaven.

Mathew 25:34-40, NASB95

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Again, it’s your money, it’s your choice, and there is absolutely no pressure.

But I find fun in giving.

If you want to help kids next year, you may want to get a jar or envelope or something to separate the money, and put a few dollars away each week. That way it will be easy to give next year.

Who doesn’t Jesus love?

Jesus loves the mentally ill.
Jesus loves the mentally healthy.
Jesus loves those in a one-man, one-woman married relationship.
Jesus loves those who are not.
Jesus loves the scrupulously honest.
Jesus loves those who tell black, white and various-shades-of-grey lies.
Jesus loves the doctor who ends the life of an unborn person.
Jesus loves that unborn person.
Jesus loves that unborn person’s mother.
Jesus loves the person who believes they were predestined to be saved.
Jesus loves the person who believes they were not.
Jesus loves Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Catholics, Protestants and all religious people.
Jesus loves the person that believes there is no God.
Jesus loves the person who rejects Him.
Jesus loves the person who commits the unforgivable sin.

Jesus loves ALL people just the way they are.
And ALL need Him.
Even me. Even you.
And ALL can choose to receive Him as Savior, Lord and Friend.
If they are willing to turn away from their evil attitudes and actions WITH JESUS’ HELP.
And trust Jesus to forgive their evil attitudes and actions.
And trust Jesus to give them His Resurrection Life.