We often think of giving as a purely personal decision. What's always fascinated me about this passage is the idea of Jesus sitting down opposite the treasury and watching people put money into the offering box. I try to imagine if I pulled up a chair during the offering and watched people put money into the plate -- I can imagine a number of people taking offense at this. I have no interest in doing it, and I certainly don't think this is the primary behavior that Jesus is hoping I'll emulate, but it's interesting that not only does Jesus watch, but he then calls the disciples together and teaches based on what he observes. We all know that we can learn a lot about what someone values based on where they spend their money. Jesus is clearly able to deduce a lot about what we value based on how we give.
May we spend and give like Jesus is watching, and may that drive us to be thoughtful and prayerful about how we invest our resources.
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