A HOMELESS WOMAN, A PARALYZED DOG, AND PIZZA………
“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.”” Luke 21:1-4……….
My beloved homeless friend who sometimes sits on the corner of the street where I stay in New York City during my season of streets ministry here was almost jumping up and down with excitement one night when I walked up to her with two of the ministry’s doggies as she showed me the reason.
As she sat on the corner panhandling for money, someone had given her a few slices of pizza. She knew my paralyzed doggy Mr. Simeon is on a bread and pizza diet because he does beautifully on this diet whereas with dog food he fares very poorly. So she had saved some of the pizza she had been given for Mr. Simeon and couldn’t wait to show me this big surprise for him.
She couldn’t have been more delighted at presenting her great gift, and I couldn’t have been more humbled and blessed to receive it. What stood out to me above all else was the humility and love and sacrifice and excitement with which she gave.
In the Bible verses above, Jesus honored the widow in the story because despite her financial poverty she gave from the riches of her humble, loving faithful heart, while the really wealthy people in their pride and greed gave little from their physical riches.
May our giving to the Lord and to others whether it be monetary, physical in the way of possessions, or even simply how we speak to and reach out to and help and support others be from humble hearts overflowing with the love of the Spirit of Christ who lives inside His blessed followers!
My homeless friend has not yet surrendered her life to the Lord Jesus Christ. How much more so then we who have received Jesus Christ as Lord should humble ourselves before Him and give however the Lord desires whenever He desires wherever He desires whatever He desires to whomever He desires for the glory of Christ, AMEN!