The Widow's Mite. My friend Mike sent me a large sum of money to support me in my trip to Russia this summer. Out of his need he helped me. He's in Slovakia right now, committed to 2 years of work among the young people there. Sacrificed the easy, comfortable "American" way of life.
But I was surprised by how much he sent, and when I opened it I was reminded of the story where Jesus and his disciples were sitting in the temple near where people dropped their offerings. They watched numbers of weathly men come by and drop in their "tithes." But a poor widow was chosen by Jesus to teach a lesson, another important vision of the Kingdom, and how it's supposed to be. He told them that she had given the greatest amount because the rich had only given a small fraction of their surplus, but she had given all she had to live on.
I know that sounds like bad "stewardship," but if more Christians knew about real stewardship, the world would be a better place. Now that may sound trite, but Jesus didn't seem to be too impressed with those who came by and gave their 10 percent and walked away to spend the rest on themselves. He was impressed, as ever, with sacrifice. Christians in America do not live a life of sacrifice.
I know that many people think that Al Qaeda, Iraq, etc. hate America because we are a Christian nation and they see it as some kind of "holy war" to destroy us. And from their perspective that may very well be true. Christians do have a spotty track record (to say the least). However, the fact remains, we're not a Christian nation, at least, not the way the Fundamentalists preach it. We were not founded on Christian principles (insofar as English Parlaimentary Government and Greco-Roman Democracy include morals and ethics also featured in Christianity). We are a nation that includes Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Atheists, Unitarians, etc.
I just think that if Christians in America were behaving more like Christ, the world wouldn't hate us as much. But it's because we have so much and share so little of the surplus. We spend our money building kingdoms of this world, but Jesus said his Kingdom is not of this world.
But I was surprised by how much he sent, and when I opened it I was reminded of the story where Jesus and his disciples were sitting in the temple near where people dropped their offerings. They watched numbers of weathly men come by and drop in their "tithes." But a poor widow was chosen by Jesus to teach a lesson, another important vision of the Kingdom, and how it's supposed to be. He told them that she had given the greatest amount because the rich had only given a small fraction of their surplus, but she had given all she had to live on.
I know that sounds like bad "stewardship," but if more Christians knew about real stewardship, the world would be a better place. Now that may sound trite, but Jesus didn't seem to be too impressed with those who came by and gave their 10 percent and walked away to spend the rest on themselves. He was impressed, as ever, with sacrifice. Christians in America do not live a life of sacrifice.
I know that many people think that Al Qaeda, Iraq, etc. hate America because we are a Christian nation and they see it as some kind of "holy war" to destroy us. And from their perspective that may very well be true. Christians do have a spotty track record (to say the least). However, the fact remains, we're not a Christian nation, at least, not the way the Fundamentalists preach it. We were not founded on Christian principles (insofar as English Parlaimentary Government and Greco-Roman Democracy include morals and ethics also featured in Christianity). We are a nation that includes Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Atheists, Unitarians, etc.
I just think that if Christians in America were behaving more like Christ, the world wouldn't hate us as much. But it's because we have so much and share so little of the surplus. We spend our money building kingdoms of this world, but Jesus said his Kingdom is not of this world.
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