A WORD FOR TODAY, November 6, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, November 6, 2024
“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God.” Psalm 146, WEB
I didn’t hand out treats on Halloween this year. It wasn’t that I don’t like Trick-or-Treating or that I was rejecting the fun of Halloween. I was preparing for a weekend away from home, writing a presentation and working on devotions I wouldn’t have time to write while I was at the retreat. There was also a threat of bad weather for that night, and I just didn’t think I wanted to sit outside for three hours. I didn’t purchase any treats beforehand, but decided I could go out and pick up something if the weather was good and I was caught up on my work. Even though the weather turned out better than expected and I probably could have taken the time, we turned off our lights and hid behind closed doors.
The hard part in our neighborhood is the sheer number of children we get for Trick-or-Treating. A neighbor uses a counter, and we often get three to four hundred children. How much candy do you need in a year with questionable weather? How many treats (I usually get nonedible toys) will be needed? I have to admit that giving treats to that many children can become very expensive. I like to be generous, but I always worry whether I will have enough.
I remember that we did not know how many children we would see during Halloween in our first year in England; I had no idea how much candy to get. I bought a very large bag of Tootsie Minis, a hundred and fifty pieces of candy. At the beginning I was giving two or three for each child, but I quickly realized that I would never have enough for all the children coming to my door. At one point I had twenty children standing in line waiting for one very small piece of candy. I felt bad that I could not be more generous, but if I gave more than one per child, I would not have had enough.
We want to be generous and hospitable with our resources, it is a natural part of the beings we have been created by our Father to be. Yet, there is an even more powerful instinct that is learned by experience to be careful. We want to share, but we are afraid that if we give too much to too many we might run out and not have enough for ourselves. We are, perhaps, a little selfish in that we want to ensure that we get our part, too. Generous hospitality can cause suffering, sometimes even the possibility of death.
That was how it was for the widow of Zarephath. She was literally making her final meal, a small cake to be shared with her son. She was using the last of her flour and oil. Unfortunately, death would not be immediate as she suggested; it would be a slow and painful death as they starved without food for days. Yet, that one cake would give them a few more moments together and perhaps some hope for another day.
Elijah asked the woman to give everything she had, even to sacrifice the little time she had left with her son. Elijah was a stranger and there was no reason why she should give up her food for him. Her maternal instinct was probably very strong, the temptation to reject the stranger must have been intense. Yet, Elijah encouraged her to trust, to step out of the box of fear and selfishness so that she might witness the gracious hospitality of God. To see the blessing would take courage. To receive life would take sacrifice. In the end, the widow and her son did not die, but they experienced the power of God because she believed that Jehovah could do, and would do, all that Elijah said.
Many churches are preparing stewardship campaigns that will take place in the next few weeks. Our church is doing a series for several weeks about living in Thanksgiving for God’s blessings by being generous. It is easy for us to preach this story of the widow of Zarephath as proof that God is calling us to give sacrificially, even unto death. The Gospel story also shows a poor widow giving everything to God. Are these stories teaching us that having absolute trust in God means we should give up our entire lives out of faith that He will provide for our every need?
That is neither good stewardship nor is it the responsible choice for most of us. We do have families which are gifts from God, homes and jobs that require a portion of our resources. We have vocations through which God is touching the world in very real, very practical ways.
We think that the starvation of the widow of Zarephath and her son was a matter of justice; widows often suffered after the loss of their husbands because they had no source of income. However, we can’t assume that she was poor. She was living in a time and a place that was in the midst of drought. No one had any food. Have you ever tried to go to the grocery store in the last hours before a hurricane? Or a blizzard? I may have thought I could have run out at the 11th hour to buy candy for Trick-or-Treating, but the shelves would probably have been bare. You might have all the money in the world, but you will not be able to buy any milk if there is no milk to be bought. The widow had nothing because there was nothing to be had. She was not the only one dying in Zarephath. It is even possible that she lost her husband because of the drought. She was blessed by God with the grace to share her last flour and oil and He gave her the faith to trust that would take care of her needs.
We don’t know anything about the woman in the Gospel lesson, except that she was a widow with only two small coins to her name. We assume she is a beggar because she is poor, but perhaps those two small coins were the last of the money left to her by her husband when he died. She could have been like the woman Jesus healed from bleeding in Mark 5. That woman had been bled dry financially by charlatan doctors trying to heal her and she seemed to be alone in the world; she probably had little left on which to live. It would have taken everything else to offer her thanks to God for His healing. Out of faith and trust she, whatever her circumstances, gave her last coins to God.
Sacrificial generosity is a God-given spiritual gift, one to which very few are given. We are not all called to such faithfulness. While it is very easy for us to look at these two women and assume this is the example we should use for Stewardship campaigns, it is neither useful not appropriate to this text.
Jesus was not putting down those rich folk who were giving out of their wealth. He did not say that they were practicing injustice by not giving their wealth to the widow. He simply said they were giving “out of” their wealth. I think it would do us well to notice that those “rich folk” were giving “out of” their wealth for the sake of the Temple and to remember that it is the “rich folk” that are doing the same in our own congregations that are keeping our doors open, our salaries paid, and our ministries running. We praise God for those who give everything for the sake of God, but we also praise God for those who give much “out of” their wealth.
This text is not a call to eradicate poverty. God provided for the widow in Zarephath. The problem with the “rich folk” in the Gospel story is not that they didn’t give everything, but that they were pretentious about the way they displayed their faith. We are reminded that our giving is not something which we should use to bring attention to ourselves. The scribes walked around the temple in their fancy robes seeking honor and respect. The people giving to the temple treasury were pilgrims that had traveled to Jerusalem to honor God with their offering. Were they doing it all for show? Perhaps there were a few, but I imagine most were there because of their faith.
What about the people in our congregations? Are they all doing it for show? Perhaps there are a few who walk around with fancy robes and haughty attitudes, but my guess is that most folk in our congregations are giving according to their hearts, joyfully and faithfully giving as God calls them to give, being good stewards of their resources. They give generously to the church and other charities while still caring for their families. Let us never forget there are “rich folk” who give out of their wealth because of their own faith to serve God with their resources through His Church.
One of the reasons I love to give out treats on Halloween is because I am a people watcher. I enjoy seeing the costumes, and I’ve had many beautiful encounters with children. So many have been taught good manners, are thankful for whatever I give. I have been happily surprised by the response from teenagers to the silly toys I give. One year the gift was a bouncy ball, and the kids were ecstatic.
I’m a people watcher. I like to go places and watch the people around me. It is fun to think about their lives, even though I know nothing about them. Why are they buying that watch? Are they in love? What will that child grow up to be when they are an adult? We enjoyed watching people who were visiting Yellowstone National Park while we were there. I never figured out why some of the young people raised their hands in a silly way for every photo they were in. People do the craziest things, and if we are attentive to the world around us, we often have a front row seat to the joke, or the joy, or even the pain. And by being attentive, we can be a part of their lives, perhaps share a smile or a tear. We don’t even have to speak to them to have a connection; sometimes it just takes a little eye contact to make a difference.
There were people watching people in the courtyard of the Temple that day. The leaders were definitely paying attention to the pilgrims. Who did they approach? What did they notice? Did they give any attention to the average pilgrim, or did they just focus on those who were well dressed and who threw great sums into the coffers? Did they even notice the widow who offered two pennies? She was probably invisible unless they eyed her suspiciously.
Jesus was on his way toward the condemnation of the cross when He visited the Temple that day. He had entered Jerusalem triumphantly, but He had done so many things that upset the powers of the world, especially during the final week of His life. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the leaders, how they walked around looking for compliments, acting high and mighty, using their power to harm the weak. They took advantage of widows by seeking payment for prayers. Jesus then noticed the crowds throwing their offerings in the coffers. I can imagine those teachers of the Law clapping people on the back, pulling them aside for private conversations, making deals in the corners as they looked for patrons to support their work.
Jesus and His disciples were also watching the people as they gave their offerings. Jesus knew their hearts. He knew the ones who were haughty and proud, but He also saw the multitudes that were doing their duty with reverence and faith. He noticed them all, but paid special attention to the invisible one, the widow who was lost in the crowd.
There was a film a few years ago called “One Night With the King.” It was about the story of Queen Esther from the Bible. The storyline diverts from the biblical text and the cinematography is not great, but it was a good film. One of the images that stuck with me after seeing the film was the humility displayed by Esther, particularly when she was in the palace preparing for her time with the king. In the biblical story, Esther is befriended by the eunuch assigned to care for the virgins. He gave her special treatment and opportunity. In the movie this played out in a scene where Esther was taken to the king to read to him, long before the girls are actually ready for their time with him.
In one scene the girls were given free reign in the treasury room where they were allowed to choose the adornments they would wear for their night. Most of the girls went wild, choosing so much gold and so many jewels that it was difficult for them to even stand straight under the weight. One of the girls was given the opportunity to ride with the king but she was so heavy with jewelry that she could not stay on the horse.
Esther, on the other hand, chose nothing from the treasury except her own necklace that had been lost during the struggle when she was taken to the palace. When it came time for her night, she was simply dressed in a lovely dress and her necklace. Against the adornment of the other girls, she would have been invisible, lost in the crowd. Yet, it was her humble appearance, and heart, that won over the king.
Jesus pointed out to the disciples those who were beautifully adorned for all to see, who were making a big deal as they put their money into the Temple treasury. They wanted to be seen. Yet, in that crowd was someone who was invisible. The poor widow was a non-person, of no worth because she had nothing to give. She was unimportant and unnoticed by most that were present that day. Only Jesus saw her and her humble appearance, and she won over His heart. He pointed her out to the disciples saying, “...she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.” Though she was invisible, she gave all that she had out of faith, and Jesus noticed.
As we read this story, it is easy for us to dismiss the grand gifts of others, thinking they are giving for all the wrong reasons, as if they are doing so our of a sense of importance or to be noticed. Yet, I have known many people who are wealthy beyond my imagination who are generous without being noticed. We all know people who would rather be invisible when it comes to their gifts. Though this story is about an invisible woman who should be noticed for her faith, there is also a lesson in stewardship for all those who can’t help but be noticed. Jesus does not use this moment to diminish anyone’s gifts. He instead uses the opportunity to lift up the quietly faithful and bring down the arrogant. The stewardship message is this: great gifts out of our wealth are welcome, but we should never give with a sense of haughtiness and pride.
There is a lesson in trust here, too. There are moments in all our lives when we are the underdog. Think about the young person who graduates at the top of their high school class and then goes on to a university. They quickly discover that everyone else was also at the top of their class and that they aren’t the best in the world. The best athletes eventually meet someone better. I’ve seen videos of male gymnasts trying to copy the moves of female gymnasts. Despite their incredible strength, they are often humbled by the incredible flexibility of their female counterparts. The men might win a competition in some areas, but they fail miserably in others. We all go through times of struggle.
God loves those who trust in Him. He is the Lord God Almighty, and our hope is found in Him, through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. When God is our helper, we will be blessed whether we succeed or when we are the underdog, whether we are on the winning team or the team that just does their best.
The Temple was a beautiful and very meaningful place for the Jews. It was there that they offered sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins. However, nothing that happened in the Temple was lasting because it was a place built with human hands. It was patterned after the real thing, the true holy place of God: heaven itself. The priests offered sacrifices, and these were important acts of obedience to God’s Law, but the forgiveness they earned was only temporary. Since the blood offered and the priest who offered it were perishable and imperfect, the sacrifice had to be made over and over again.
Until Jesus. He was not only the perfect Priest, but He also offered His own perfect blood. He offered it in the true Holy Place and the effects of His sacrifice were eternal. It only needed to happen once. From that moment on, sin was forgiven.
We often see the image of Christ’s return as one of a strong warrior riding in on horseback with a sword in hand destroying sin, death and the devil. Yet, Christ has already accomplished this work. It is finished. In the passage from the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear of Christ coming as Judge, but not a judge of condemnation. He comes as the Judge of salvation. In this vision, Christ comes to those who are waiting for Him, those who have been saved by the grace of God. When Christ comes again, He will receive those for whom He died and welcome them into the realm of God. Others miss Him because they are focused on all the wrong things.
The king didn’t see the women in the story of Esther because their hearts were buried under gold chains. Jesus didn’t see any humility in the scribes in the Temple because it was buried under their fancy robes. The condemnation they face will not be by the hands of the King but by their own haughty pride.
We don’t know what the woman in the Temple looked like or what she was wearing. We don’t know if she was a foreign pilgrim or a local. We don’t know if she was alone in that courtyard or if she’d traveled with a crowd of family and friends. We only know that she gave two pennies as an offering to God and that it was all she had. And we know that Jesus saw her. In this courtyard full of people, she caught His eye. He lifted her up as a woman with extraordinary faith. We can be like her, giving everything to Him, even when it seems insignificant, trusting that He’ll take care of us. Despite the small amount, the widow’s gift was greater than all the others because she gave God everything.
Jesus saw her. Through all those crowds, He picked out the one person whom everyone else ignored. He saw the one who had no earthly worth. That’s what God does. He sees through the exterior and past the mundane; He points out value where the world might see none. She didn’t have much, but she had far more than the rest because she had great faith. That’s worth noting. Money won’t do us any good in the end. No matter how important our life is on this earth, we will never accomplish anything lasting. This life is perishable and imperfect; it is not lasting. Faith is the only thing that will get us through the last days; faith will take us to the other side.
Do you ever feel invisible? Even as people of faith we can find it difficult to believe that God sees us or hears our prayers. I am nobody. I am just one person out of the billions who are currently living on earth, and just one out of the more than a hundred billion people who have ever lived. Who am I that God would notice me? Who am I that God would point me out to His disciples and teach them a lesson using my life as an example? I’m probably even more invisible than those widows because I am one of the multitudes who give to God out of my wealth like the crowds in the Temple.
Our gifts, no matter how big they might be, are not worthy of praise. God does not need anything we have to give. It is all His and He gave it to us to be good stewards for the sake of others. God deserves our first fruits, not our leftovers. Like the widow of Zarephath and the widow in the temple, faith means trusting that God will provide according to His grace. Even if those first fruits mean that we are giving “unto death” we need not fear, for God will bring great blessings out of our faith.
The psalmist reminds us that all good things come from God. God raises those that are bowed down. This is not just about God taking care of those who are victimized, who are oppressed and outcast. God raises up those who are humble before Him, who trust that He will provide. He raises up those who give with the heart of faith, whatever our circumstances. Jesus fed the crowds whether they were poor or wealthy. He healed the sick no matter their circumstances. He raised the ruler’s daughter. He raised Lazarus who had more than enough. He was raised on the cross so that all who believe might be raised to the greatest gift of all, eternal life.
The stories of the widows foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ. The widows gave even their lives for the sake of others in obedience to the Word of God. The widow of Zarephath was blessed with life through the drought as the flour and oil seemed in endless supply. We do not know what happened to the widow in the temple, but when Jesus was only days away from being the final, permanent sacrifice, He showed us what it is like to sacrifice everything through self-less giving.
“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God.” This is not a giddy kind of happiness, but rather the blessedness of knowing that everything we are and everything we have comes from God. The widows knew that God takes care of those who look to Him for help. They knew that He would lift those who are bowed, sustain the fatherless and widows and frustrate the way of the wicked as promised in today’s psalm. They did not put their trust in men; they submitted willingly to the Word of God and were greatly blessed. Jesus sacrificed Himself for the sake of the world, and in Christ we can join in the chorus of praise. “Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul.”
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