38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers
of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with
respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the
synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
Mark 12:43-44 (NIV)
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.”
We see a big contrast between these two groups. One group
hungers for respect and prominence. The other's only care is to help others.
Interestingly enough, the one who cared here was the poor one!
There is something unique about the poor. When they give,
even though their offering might be labeled “insignificant” according to the
world’s standards, they give way more than the ones who live quite comfortably.
God sees that and acknowledges them. These are the ones God remembers!
These poor also accomplish things that the ones who live
comfortably may never even consider. Take, for example, Laura Ingersoll Secord,
a poor woman who lived in Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Early on in the war of
1812, her husband, James, had been wounded in the battle of Queenston Heights
and was rescued by his wife, his heroine.
The following summer, on June 21, 1813, Laura overheard
that the enemy was planning a surprise attack at Beaverdams. Someone had to
warn the garrison located there, and the next morning, Laura set out on a
twenty mile trek to warn that military base, taking a roundabout path to avoid
encountering enemy soldiers.
Through fields and woods, she followed the general course
of Twelve Mile Creek. That evening she unexpectedly encountered an Indian
encampment and fear filled her. The chief however, listened to what she had
overheard from the enemy, and he took her directly to the officer in charge of
the garrison in Beaverdams, Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon.
Two days later the enemy attack wasn’t a surprise, as
they were the ones ambushed by 400 Indians and Fitzgibbon’s 50 men. 462 enemy
soldiers surrendered, all thanks to the information that Laura had brought to
the garrison.
Interestingly however, no mention of Laura Secord was
made in the official report. Only when she was 85-years-old did the Prince of
Wales (Future Edward VII) learn about the heroic twenty mile trek performed by
Laura Secord. She became a heroine overnight, and she even had a famous brand
of chocolate named after her. And all that because she never hesitated to leave
her poor home and trek through enemy territory to warn the troops.
We, the comfortable ones can make an impact on society as
well, if we so wish. Imagine what would happen if, instead of giving the
minimum, we started to give much, much more. Imagine the consequences on our
society! Poverty would become nonexistent, and all that because we love our
neighbors as Jesus tells us to. The world would be revolutionized. It’s within
our power, but something holds us back. As long as we sit on the fence, this
revolution of love will never occur. May we go beyond sitting on the fence and
bless humanity just like that poor woman that attracted Jesus’ attention. We,
too, can go out of our way to make a difference, if we so wish.
Dear Lord, help us be willing to give of what You have
given to us to show Your love to the world around us that so desperately needs
it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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