愛戀 ‧ 情曲 ‧ 神の語

The Widow's Offering (Mark 12:41-44 NIV)

 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than ALL the others.

44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

It is deemed an honorary deed by the world today if some give generously out of their abundance. But the world has seldom seen the God-kind-of-sacrifice displayed by this poor widow. The only reason she gave was out of her love for God. It is contrary to fallen human nature to love like this. Yet when one falls in love with Jesus, it becomes so natural.

Those who walk in the love of God are known and highly praised and esteemed by God Himself and the myriads of angels and ministering spirits in all the spiritual universes of God. For as the angels desired to look into the mystery of Jesus' sacrificial death for sinful mankind, they are intensely attracted and interested to anything and anyone bearing the love of God (1 Pet 1:12). These will ascend to the highest sphere of God when they pass to glory in this life--for the essence of their being has been transformed to the image of Christ through the partaking of His divine nature by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8; 2 Pet 1:4). Even while on earth, they will have a foretaste of the highest spiritual realm where God is truly known as the God of Love, as revealed by the disciple whom Jesus loved, who often leaned on and into the bosom of Love as one of the closest to Him (John; 1 John 4:7-8).

Here lies true spirituality in its purest form without religiosity. Here lies true godliness and holiness without worldliness. For here lies true Christlikeness--it is not the giving nor the amount in themselves, but the heart-love that one exudes for God and in turn to those being given. The reason the widow could give more than riches and more than all was because she had a heart that was more than gold and fairest than all!

The Love of Christ is the summary and goal of all honest spiritual pursuit and discipline. For as until eternity, love will never die (1 Cor 13:8 MSG). It is what Jesus died for, yearns today, and celebrates forevermore. The love of Jesus Christ is what makes a life (and Christmas!) so heart-warming, beautiful, and special (specialness*infinity).

(Always Heart-Shaped)