Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. Mark 12:41
“Jesus’ attention to people giving their offerings calls us also to look at giving. Jesus did not just happen to be watching. It was no accident that he noticed the poor woman putting in a few coins as her offering. Jesus was acting intentionally. He sat in front of the treasury – the offering box – in order to see.
He watched people giving. And it was not the amount they gave that interested him but the way they gave. This shows that Jesus paid close attention to the money question. He spoke of it often, and here we see that in money matters, no behavior escapes Jesus’ observation.
We must not deceive ourselves: our honesty and generosity are not being questioned, but how we give. Even if Jesus does not make a negative judgment here, we know by the positive judgment he expresses that he is judging. This implies then that we must pass under Jesus’ scrutiny each time we handle money. He sat there on purpose.”
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) in Money and Power (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2009) 90-91.
In recent meditations, we have considered heart-related matters linked to giving. We’ve reflected on the “why” of giving and about whether or not we have repentant and obedient hearts. Today’s post follows along those lines, and comes in the wake of Giving Tuesday when many organizations fixed our eyes on digital offering boxes.
Ellul’s work is a classic and well worth reading. He candidly reminds us that Jesus is observing us, and not just observing, He’s judging, scrutinizing, and teaching us based on what He sees. It is not until He witnesses humble sacrifice that He celebrates a giver as a model for the rest of us.
Jesus watched people give then and is observing us today. With precision, Ellul rightly notes: “no behavior escapes Jesus’ observation.” As you think about your giving now and at the end of this calendar year, what will Jesus see when He looks at you?
Father, regardless of what everyone else is doing, work in our hearts so you see humble sacrifice when you observe our giving. Make it so by your Holy Spirit at work in us I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.