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Is my gift enough?
SPCK’s Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about generosity. It benefits everyone involved.
Just like that monster in a child’s bedroom, this question lurks at the corner of my mind ready to pounce at the slightest opportunity. Probing for a way into every situation, it pushes for an answer. At university, it was at its loudest after exams and coursework hand-ins. At work, it’s after I complete each project.
And with Christmas coming up, it’s sure to be ever present. What is enough for that aunt who I rarely see? Is a homemade gift enough for my grandparents who have always given fantastic presents? Is anything under the tree enough anymore, or I do I need to buy expensive ‘experiences’? It can feel like a minefield of disappointment just waiting to be unwrapped.
And charities don’t exactly help at this time of year either (I should know – I’m in fundraising!) Everywhere you look, there’s another good cause that needs resourcing. How could I ever give enough when there’s so much need?
But fortunately for me, and for you too, Jesus calms this anxiety. The story of the widow’s mite powerfully speaks to me in these moments:
“41Jesus 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.42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on."
Mark 12:41-44
It’s not about how much you give to charity, or how expensive the gifts are or even how successful the outcome. It’s about the sacrificial nature of your effort. It’s because in that one moment, you valued someone else’s good above your own. And God can see that.
The rich people in this story were not the most generous, because their gifts, whilst substantial, did not touch on their vast wealth. They still put themselves first. The widow acts in stark contrast to this. Her gift will not repair the temple roof; it won’t buy a grand new front porch; and it won’t raise the local orphans from their poverty. The impact of her gift will be small, but it is far greater nonetheless. Generosity is not about how much you give, but rather the spirit in which you give.
This is emphasised by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians:
“[7] Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7
How do you imagine the rich people at the temple gave? I see them sitting in their lavish homes, counting their riches, balancing the importance of a public display of wealth against their desire to keep as much for themselves. I see them grappling with the expectations of their equally wealthy friends. I see them setting aside an amount, and then justifying each subtraction they make. And finally, I see them hurrying to the temple, anxious to make their contribution before they change their mind!
But the widow is not like this. In her heart, she feels compelled to give to the temple. Perhaps she has benefitted from the work and wants to give back, or maybe she has witnessed their work in the community and wants to contribute, or perhaps she feels duty-bound to support the priests. Whatever the reason, she has decided to give what she can afford to give, and even what she can’t. There is no compulsion here, only a commitment to do what she believes is right. She goes cheerily, not reluctantly, to the temple to make her gift.
This Christmas, will you join me in transforming your giving? I’m going to give not because it’s the ‘done thing’ at Christmas time or because I was pressured by a sad face on a tube poster. I’m going to give happily not reluctantly to the causes that are important to me. And I’m going to keep that nasty question at bay. I know that my gift is enough, however small it seems - that I am enough - if I gave cheerfully and sacrificially.
If you are moved to give to SPCK this Christmas, you can do so here. By giving just £5, you can send a book to a vulnerable prisoner this Christmas. Together, we can give prisoners in the UK the skills they need to get out of prison and stay out. For more information on our charitable work, and how you can get involved, contact us.
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