Poor to Exercise Benevolence
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comfort, or even luxury; they had required no sacrifice, and could not
be compared in value with the widow’s mite.
It is the motive that gives character to our acts, stamping them with
ignominy or with high moral worth. Not the great things which every
eye sees and every tongue praises does God account most precious.
The little duties cheerfully done, the little gifts which make no show,
and which to human eyes may appear worthless, often stand highest
in His sight. A heart of faith and love is dearer to God than the most
costly gift. The poor widow gave her living to do the little that she did.
She deprived herself of food in order to give those two mites to the
cause she loved. And she did it in faith, believing that her heavenly
Father would not overlook her great need. It was this unselfish spirit
and childlike faith that won the Saviour’s commendation.
Among the poor there are many who long to show their gratitude
to God for His grace and truth. They greatly desire to share with
their more prosperous brethren in sustaining His service. These souls
should not be repulsed. Let them lay up their mites in the bank of
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heaven. If given from a heart filled with love for God, these seeming
trifles become consecrated gifts, priceless offerings, which God smiles
upon and blesses.—
The Desire of Ages, 614-616
.
How the Macedonian Church Responded—Paul wrote to the
Corinthian church: “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace
of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great
trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty
abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear
record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they
did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and
unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he
had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.”
There had been a famine at Jerusalem, and Paul knew that many of
the Christians had been scattered abroad, and that those who remained
would be likely to be deprived of human sympathy and exposed to
religious enmity. Therefore he exhorted the churches to send pecuniary
assistance to their brethren in Jerusalem. The amount raised by the
churches exceeded the expectation of the apostles. Constrained by the
love of Christ, the believers gave liberally, and they were filled with joy