Honor Through Sacrificial Giving

The spirit of giving and the various ways that we give is a key part of our relationship with God. The desire to give of our time in service for ministry, our talents to further God's freedom from bondage to self, and our possessions is admirable. Add to those, the desire to give our prayers for those in need and the study of the Bible as an offering to God means that we have learned to do those things as a holy habit from someone we have held or still hold in high esteem.

But who we choose to imitate in our giving habits is of great importance. Does that person's spiritual legacy of giving honor God's unconditional love and solid faith through pains and hardships? If so, thank God! If there is even the slightest question as to whether that is true, I want you to watch out for some of the serious pitfalls of following a teacher who might be leading you to hurt the very people who God has sent you to serve.

In the bible reading from Mark 12:38-44, Jesus points out the giving practice of a woman at the temple who had very little means, and whose husband had passed away, that he held in high regard. The Unnamed Widow was a titan of selfless giving. But some others who gave were frauds that embodied dishonor and dishonesty while posing as paragons of the community. How do we today put into perspective the model of giving of The Unnamed Widow that Jesus praised?