Words are not Enough

Scripture:

Luke 20:45   In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁷ They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Luke 21:1   He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; ² he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. ³ He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; ⁴ for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Observation:

The religious leaders were good at saying the right things and putting on appearances. They probably even prayed aloud for the needs of the poor widows within their community. The problem was that their actions didn’t go any further than their words. Even more than this, they may have been engaged in financial practices which displaced the widows and those in need. 

Throughout Luke we are admonished to see that proper stewardship of wealth is a sign of discipleship. Not only this, but Luke bookends stories within his gospel where Mary’s magnificat is reflected in the “spirit of this widow’s gift to the treasury. There the lowliness of the female servant is celebrated (1:48), the downfall of the proud predicted (1:51), the elevation of the lowly announced (1:52), the exaltation of the hungry, and the contrasting emptiness for the rich declared (1:53)” (Neale, NBBC, 206). Those who were interpreting God’s law on behalf of God’s people were supposed embody the goodness of the Lord among the people, but their inaction places them in opposition to those for whom they are to provide particular care. 

Judgement would come to those who abused prayer as a pretense for carrying out their own self-indulgent plans. Discipleship was to be a life of denial and one which followed the pathway of the Messiah. The religious leaders had no desire to sacrifice anything, and therefore the widow became the righteous individual in the story. She wasn’t praised for her words, but for her actions. Her devotion to God cost her everything, so while she had no fine robes nor public space for lengthy prayers, she gave her two small copper coins and thisrevealed the true nature of her heart and motivations. 

Application:

We live in a season where society is impressing upon us the need to portray sensitivity to the needs of others in particular ways. It’s easy to declare on social media our support of particular causes. It’s much harder to expend our time, energy and resources in actions that result in real change. Talking about problems in aggregate is much more comfortable than getting to know the homeless person, or the poor immigrant that is living within your community. 

The widow is an example to all of us. She didn’t give out of her abundance, or what was comfortable, but gave sacrificially. For us to make a difference, we have to live sacrificially. Historically, Christians have been the most generous givers in the world. Will we continue to retain our influence as a generous people? If everyone who attended church tithed as requested by God, the church could have a greater impact on church and culture than it does today. While Christians are more generous than non-Christians, they do not all tithe. Here’s some interesting news from https://balancingeverything.com/church-giving-statistics/:

People who attend church regularly tend to donate more money to any type of cause. Church tithing statistics show that about 81% of those who participate in religious services between 27-52 times a year contribute to religious causes. Their average donation is $2,224, while their total annual charitable giving is about $2,935. Americans who never attend religious services give less, with 50% giving to secular causes, and 12% donating to religious causes. Their average donation sizes are $593 for secular causes and $111 for religious causes. (Philanthropy Roundtable) 

Tithers represent about 10-25% of congregations. Only 5% of Americans are tithers. Most (80%) give about 2% of their income to tithing donations. About 3-5% of those who attend and donate to churches do so through tithing. 17% of Americans responded that they tithe regularly. Tithe statistics reveal that most tithers (77%) donate 11-20% of their income. This tithing percentage is much higher than the baseline of 10%. About 70% of tithers base donations on gross income rather than on net income. (Nonprofits Source)

Christians these days give 2.5% of their income, which is less than how much they gave in the past. During the Great Depression, they gave a higher share of 3.3%. Only 1% of Households making over $75,000 contribute with tithing amounts of at least 10% of their income. Christian church charity statistics demonstrate that 17% of American households currently give less than they used to in local church donations. For 7% of regular churchgoers, the amounts donated dropped by 20%. (Nonprofits Source) 

It is interesting that there is a direct correlation between church attendance and the level of generosity, both to the church and to other causes. Words are not enough. The act of going to church seems to impact behavior much more than words. At the same time, we need to move beyond our financial resources and look at ways our actions can impact the world around us. Disciples are to be generous stewards of all of their resources and that includes the giving of time and talents. I am deeply moved by the actions of some of our younger families who are becoming actively involved in the foster care system. This is truly a sacrifice and they are making a difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable and needy in our world. Discipleship and stewardship are to impact every aspect of our lives. 

Having a particular look and saying the right words means nothing if not backed up by action. Like the widow we are to give God everything, following the self-emptying model of Christ, living a life of continual discipleship. 

Prayer:

Lord, may my actions reflect the work that you are doing in my heart. Amen.