The Least Of These

By: Melody Mohnhaupt

…God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Recently, the Lord has been speaking to me about having more of a giving heart. I know it’s not about how much I give, it’s about what heart I have when I do give. 

Just look at the widow with the two mites! All she gave were two tiny coins that together were worth about a penny. That is practically nothing! However, Jesus said, “this poor widow has put in [proportionally] more than all of them; for they all put in gifts from their abundance; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”  Luke 21:3,4 He didn't see how much she offered in natural value. He saw her faith and willingness to give every last cent she had in order to please the Lord and to be obedient to his word.

Deut 15:10

You shall freely and generously give to him, and your heart shall not be resentful when you give to him, because for this [generous] thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.

Not only is it important to give our tithes and offerings unto the Lord, as this widow did, but also for us to take care of other’s needs. We are God’s hands and feet in this fallen world. Take Matthew 25:33-46 as an example. Whatever we do to the least of these, we do unto Him. And whatever we don't do for them, we don't do for the Lord. Our giving is so much more than just money. It is about giving our time, our energy, our hearts, and our lives for others.

James 2: 15-16

If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do?

In 1 Kings 17 we see the story of Elijah and the poor widow. If you aren't familiar with the story, the Lord sends his prophet Elijah to a foreign village. He tells him that a widow will provide for his needs there. When he enters the village he sees a woman (the widow) gathering fire wood and asks her to bring him some water and a piece of bread. She explains that all she has is a small amount of oil and flour that she was planning on preparing for her and her son to eat as their last meal before they die of starvation. Elijah proceeds to ask her to prepare a loaf for him, and then for her and her son afterward. Elijah tells her that the Lord will provide her with the necessary amount of oil and flour for her and her son’s survival. By faith, the woman went and baked Elijah a loaf of bread. She put his needs even before her own and her child’s, but because of it, the Word tells us that “she and he and her household ate for many days” (vs15).

In my natural thinking, I don't understand how these woman could give so willingly, knowing that they would be left with nothing after they gave. That is some major faith! I definitely struggle to walk in that same caliber of faith.

I grew up in a… “financially challenged” household. My father’s passing left my mother widowed with seven children. My mom was responsible for providing for two infants, two toddlers, and three teenagers when the Lord took him. As you could imagine, this was not a walk in the park for our family. Although we had most of our essential needs met, we definitely still struggled. Ever since I could remember, financially, we were in an uphill battle. We moved around a lot and by the grace of God, scraped by. We found ourselves ankle deep in the Red Sea on numerous occasions, but the Lord always made a way for us. We experienced miracle after miracle of him reminding us that he was our provider. 

Because of this, I definitely have the faith when I’m in need that the Lord will provide, because he always has! I’ve been a first hand witness of this my whole life. But these woman I just shared about took it one step further. They GAVE in their lack! 

I never thought much about giving when I knew I needed the money, which was/is most of the time. When you're having to pray that you will somehow be able to get food on the table, or somehow be able to pay rent (not to mention all the other bills), your typical thought process isn’t, “what can I give?”.  Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that unless it is an obvious need, giving rarely even comes into my mind. Or even just blessing other people. I think maybe since I don't have much to give, I eliminate myself from thinking I could, or even should, because I need it too. I feel foolish giving when I know I have bills to pay. But that’s why I believe these women’s stories are included in the Bible. They are our examples! They are our examples of faith, and a witness of God’s faithfulness in return! They are an example of these verses:

Proverbs 28:27

He who gives to the poor will never want,

But he who shuts his eyes [from their need] will have many curses.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work andact of charity.

I don’t know about you, but I believe the Bible is one hundred percent true. I also believe we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God! (Mt. 4:4) If you agree, you know these are promises of God that cannot be broken! The Lord warns us of the consequences of being selfish and withholding, but he also promises to take care of those who give by faith! When you give with the right heart you will be blessed and you will not lack! The Lord will  liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus! (Phil. 4:19)

Be confident in knowing this: if you sacrifice for someone in need, the Lord will never leave your own needs unmet. Don’t be afraid to step out in faith and give when finances are tight. It will increase your faith! If we only give when we have a surplus of money, our faith will never be tested. Try cutting out your Starbucks run for the week and giving a little blessing to a friend you know who has been going through a rough time. Try staying in one saturday evening and using that dinner money to help someone. Sometimes we don't even realize we do have the ability to help others. Once we prioritize where our money is best spent, we will see there are sacrifices that can be made to benefit those who really need it. Even a little bit helps a lot. All He is looking for is our willing hearts to give, and with that, HE will make the increase. Let’s give our hearts a makeover. It’s not all about us. It’s about the least of these.