Proportion vs. Portion

Introduction

A well-known philanthropist was asked, How is it that you give away so much, and yet have so much left?

I suppose it’s like this, he replied. I shovel out,and God shovels in, and he has a bigger shovel that I do.

We see this interaction in Luke and Mark.

Mark depicts it as such in Mark 12:41-44 “Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.””

Luke 21:1-4 “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.””

This text provides us with a very familiar narrative that we see when Jesus is dealing with teaching the disciples versus dealing with the rich, the Pharisees and scribes. There were times were people through their status put the focus on themselves versus the focus on God. So often we designate the attitude and actions of the Pharisees as it this demeanor that Christians are immune to, nonetheless it’s evident that we find ourselves operating in the same way as the Pharisees more often than we should.

As we look at this interaction in context we have to begin our efforts of investigation in the chapter prior. Jesus sets the stage by expressing the dangers of pride and doing things in effort to be seen. Luke 20:45-47 “Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.””

The beware is not just the type of people we should avoid but it is a definitive attitude and spirit that we should avoid at all cost.

Worship and service is not about being seen.

Status and popularity is a recipe for disaster. Their affinity for the best seats, the most notoriety was the preemptive behavior that led to the demise of widows and the poor.

Praying in effort to be seen rather than to petition God on the needs of the poor and the widows shall be the cause of a greater condemnation.

It’s always a beautiful thing when Jesus teaches on something and the actions reemphasize what He was teaching about. So here we are in chapter 21 and we see that they’ve come to the part of worship which is depicted as giving.

The problem was Jesus looks up and sees the rich putting in gifts and then we are introduced to this poor widow who puts in two mites. Two mites the equivalent of 26 percent of today’s penny. One might say that if that’s all she could give she should just keep it for herself but she understood the importance over the opportunity to be seen!

It prompts us to ask the question “where is your giving coming from?

We see that there are Pharisees that have put more emphasis on dress rather than doctrine. They have put more emphasis on popularity rather than purpose, on status rather than salvation.

Praise God that we have this widow that brings us back to reality. She is the epitome of what it means to sacrifice for God. The manner in which she gave was the determiner of it’s worth. If it was solely about the amount the rich would have the advantage.

Romans 2:11-16 “For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”

The rich may have given more money but it did not come from a sacrificial place of love. When I understand the sacrifice of Jesus I rejoice when I’m able to make sacrifices for the Lord. Monetarily she did not give more but spiritually she gave more because of where it came from.

I imagine what our giving would look like if Jesus was on the other side of the receptacle where our offerings were dropped off. Here’s the point of it all, the rich could have given more and the widow, justified by her poverty could have given less. When you really understand what Jesus has done in your life you’ll always give your all because you know that if it was not for him, none of this would be possible.

Abundance vs. Penury

Penury or extreme poverty or destitution versus abundance or a very large quantity of something.

I’m not talking about abundance in having a little extra, but considerably more than what would be expected.

This widow was poor, let us understand the difference between being poor and broke. Broke is based on habits but poverty is about livelihood. This implying a continuous state of having nothing. This type of poverty isn’t just having little money, but the poverty is shown outwardly. Those who walk in rags, or those whose ribs are always showing.

Understand that the largest offering is not the most money but what comes from the biggest heart. The bible says she put in all the livelihood that she had. Here giving was a prepared offering that came from the fact that her life prioritized her devotion to God. God is not interested in giving what we won’t miss but giving based on the plans of prioritization!

Worship is not an outward show, God does not care about a tailored suit, or red bottom shoes, or a luxury vehicle. Church there is nothing wrong with these things but when God gets the scraps while we are living high on the hog something is wrong. I believe it was the prophet Haggai that wrote in Haggai 1:3-4 “Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?””

The measure of the gift is not how much we give but how much remains. Our giving should reflect our means, the gift is always measured based on the spirit in which it is given, true giving is giving that reflects our lifestyle not our leftovers. “this poor widow has put in more than all!

The culture was demeaning to widows but thank God she saw Jesus over the oppression of the hypocrites in the building. Do not let anyone discourage you because you are unable to give what they’re able to give.

Luke 12:21 ““So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.””

It’s not about being rich in money but rich in faith. You can be as affluent as you want to be but if your spirit is raggedy it will be reflected in how you worship.

James 2:5 “Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

Understand that Jesus is not playing with how we treat the poor. Treating the poor in an oppressive way is why Jesus started going full Ice Cube and flipping over tables. See after the west coast poet wrote all these lyrics and sold all these records, Bryan Turner and Priority records did not pay Brother Cube was he was due. So He let the bat do the talking. When we do not provide for God what He is due He has a way of flipping our life upside down.

John 2:15-16 “When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!””

Make a mockery of the house of God if you want to! Understand that stewardship is a tenet of discipleship, our mindset has to shift. No matter what we give let us understand we could never give as much as Jesus gave to the world.

Portion vs. Proportion

The rich gave a portion where the widow gave a proportion a pre-planned gift according to her livelihood.

A proportion is a quantity of something that is part of the whole amount whereas a portion is just an allocated amount.

For instance if I give a whole pie to someone but I have unlimited pies at home I’m not giving our a sacrifice I’m giving out of abundance. But if I have one pie and I share have my pecan pie with you I’m giving from a place of love and hospitality.

My offering should not be something I decide on the spot, I should make plans to give to God just like I do with every other bill I have.

We do not treat the electricity company like that, we get the bill in the mail or email and we make provisions to keep our lights on. Pay the electric company what you want and see if they don’t turn your lights off when they want.

Imagine if God did not make plans for our life. He knew the enemy wants to destroy us, therefore He made a plan to give us Jesus! He made a plan to provide us with a perfect sacrifice that would change the world.

2 Corinthians 8:12 “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”

It’s not about what you have or what you do not have it’s about having the will to do what God has commanded!

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Giving, Motivation For

A missionary returned to his home city, where he announced a collection for foreign missions. A good friend said to him, “Very well, Andrew, seeing it is you, I’ll give five hundred dollars.”

“No,” said the missionary, “I cannot take the money since you give it, seeing it is me.” His friend saw the point and said, “You are right, Andrew. Here is a thousand dollars, seeing it is for the Lord Jesus.”