Whether it’s diamonds, homes, internet games, food, or colorful stimulation, society tells us that MORE and BIGGER is what we want.

I remember arriving at our tiny country church one Sunday morning to discover that the person responsible for purchasing the bread and juice for Communion had suffered a heart attack. In those days, stores were not open on Sunday. Our closest parishioner had one slice in his pantry.  Carefully, we cut that bread into 35 tiny pieces. In the back of the fridge we found a lunch size bottle of grape juice. We added some water and filled 35 tiny glasses with the mauve watery liquid. We shared communion with our congregation and had bread and juice left over.

Why, because no one came with the expectation of MORE and BIGGER. The tradition of one small bit of bread and one tiny glass was established in the early church. We are at God’s table in order to feed our souls not our bellies. At communion that day, we shared what we had and received God’s nourishment.

When Jesus draws his friends’ attention to the widow who gave two small coins into the temple treasury he’s not focused on “more and bigger”. Jesus values her generosity and commitment.

“She gave all she had.”

God doesn’t ask for MORE and BIGGER.  God asks only that we give what we have. We can trust that God will receive our generosity with joy.

Jesus said, “a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,… Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” (Mark 12:42-43)