Holy Week – Tuesday <3

My my…Tuesday is a busy and full day for Jesus as He makes His way to the Cross.

I usually read the passages singly from the different Gospels, but using the Chronological Bible I am getting overwhelmed to say the least.

The notes at the beginning of this section mention Tuesday as a day of great confrontation with religious leaders.

I think of how non-confrontational most of Jesus’ ministry has been up to this point.

Well, relatively non-confrontational compared to the almost twelve pages of material I have been working through today as I prepare this post to go up Tuesday morning.

He starts with parables and then blasts into the “Woe to you’s” before sitting down in front of the offering box and observing the comings and goings of those bestowing their tithes and gifts that day.

And this is all before noon, mind you.

The holiday mood is in full swing and the wealthy are throwing in large sums of money but it is not one of these big spenders who catches His eye.

It’s not the guys who will have their name on a memorial brick in the sidewalk.

No.

Instead, He calls the disciples over to where he has been resting and shows them a poor widow who has put in two small coins that barely make up a penny.

This is the one who has made the largest offering today, He tells them.

I imagine them scratching their heads and wondering if the heated discourses leading up to this moment have taken a toll on Him.

Master….did you see all that the others have put in? 

Surely those two coins do not equal the large sums of the men who have given so much.

But it is an Upside Down Kingdom, He reminds them. Yet again.

For the rich gave out of their wealth…they gave abundantly but they still had plenty when they left.

She gave out of her poverty.

She gave all she had.

They gave a generous percent….she gave 100 percent.

I wonder.

Have I left everything to follow Him…or have I simply given out of my wealth and turned away emptier and poorer than I could ever imagine.

Dear Jesus, Thou knowest.

You know the places where I hold back the “all” out of fear of lacking.

You know when I have much to give but am unwilling to give it all.

You know when I have little to give and cling to a fraction of that fraction.

Always in me, the desire to preserve and protect a little something for later. 

Teach me Lord, the lesson of the widow’s mite.

That whether I have much or little, it is all for You and for Your glory <3