Precious in God’s Sight
153
The poor man’s gift, the fruit of self-denial, to extend the precious
light of truth, is as fragrant incense before God. Every act of self-
sacrifice for the good of others will strengthen the spirit of beneficence
in the giver’s heart, allying him more closely to the Redeemer of the
world, who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through
His poverty might be rich.
The smallest sum given cheerfully as the result of self-denial is
of more value in the sight of God than the offerings of those who
could give thousands and yet feel no lack. The poor widow who
cast two mites into the treasury of the Lord, showed love, faith, and
benevolence.... God’s blessing upon that sincere offering has made it
the source of great results.
The widow’s mite has been like a tiny stream flowing down through
the ages, widening and deepening in its course, and contributing in
a thousand directions to the extension of the truth and the relief of
the needy. The influence of that small gift has acted and reacted upon
thousands of hearts in every age and in every country. As the result,
unnumbered gifts have flowed into the treasury of the Lord from the
liberal, self-denying poor. And again, her example has stimulated to
good works thousands of ease-loving, selfish, and doubting ones, and
their gifts also have gone to swell the value of her offering.—
The Signs
of the Times, November 15, 1910
.
The Signs of the Times, January 21,
1886
[179]
The Givers Rewarded Though Gifts Are Misappropriated
Families in poverty, who had experienced the sanctifying influence
of the truth, and who therefore prized it, and felt grateful to God for it,
have thought that they could and should deprive themselves of even the
necessaries of life, in order to bring in their offerings to the treasury
of the Lord. Some have deprived themselves of articles of clothing
which they really needed to make them comfortable. Others have sold
their only cow, and have dedicated to God the means thus received. In
the sincerity of their souls, with many tears of gratitude because it was
their privilege to do this for the cause of God, they have bowed before
the Lord with their offering, and have invoked His blessing upon it as
they sent it forth, praying that it might be the means of bringing the
knowledge of the truth to souls in darkness.