Giving All You Have

Jesus 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.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents…Mark 12:41-42.

How many of you have watched the Grinch?  I’m talking about the cartoon version…the version that many of us grew up watching!

If you are unfamiliar with this story (First of all…I would have to ask…where have you been?)...because most of us know that the Grinch didn’t like Christmas!

The Grinch couldn’t stand that all of the people living Who-ville loved Christmas, so he came up with a plan!

On Christmas Eve…after everyone was sleeping…he crept into the town of Who-ville and stole all of their Christmas! 

He stole their presents…their Christmas trees and decorations…He even stole of their goodies for their Christmas feast!

Christmas morning, the Grinch stood on the mountain overlooking Who-ville…watching and listening.

He was waiting to hear the town weeping and crying over their lost Christmas!  Because without Christmas presents…decorations…and a big dinner…there would be no Christmas…right?

However, what the Grinch heard that morning completely surprised him!

The people in Who-Ville were singing…they were happy!  The Grinch had not stolen their Christmas after all!

It wasn’t about the presents…the decorations…or their large Christmas dinner!

And this is the part that I love! 

As the Grinch began to understand what Christmas really meant to the people in Who-ville…the Grinch’s heart…which had been two sizes too small…grew and grew and grew! 

And when I picture that heart growing…

I think of our sweet Graham!

For such a little boy…he has the biggest and most tender heart!

When I visit him…Graham always tells me how much he has missed me!  He always tells me how much he loves me! 

And if Papa is out of town, he always ask about Papa…and then says…”I miss Papa”!  I love him too!

When all of the family gathers together…he wants to make sure everyone feels included…and then makes sure to tell everyone how much he loves them!

Recently, Graham’s mother shared with me that Graham wanted to give all of the money in his piggy bank to Jesus!

His parents apparently were gathering up the money in his bank to put in his savings account, and though his parents were telling Graham that he could give some to Jesus, he was adamant about giving all of his money to Jesus!

There may or may not have even been a moment when our sweet Graham stomped his foot to get his point across to his parents (Not trust me…Graham’s parents do not condone this type of behavior…nor does Gammy, but I have to confess…this Gammy can only smile when I picture our sweet boy expressing his desire to give it all to Jesus with such enthusiasm)!!

Graham’s generous heart reminds me of a story in the bible!

Scripture tells us… Jesus 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.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents…Mark 12:41-42.

There are many who would think that the poor widow did not give very much. 

There are many who would think that the individuals who had put in large amounts of money had given more.

But Jesus knew differently.

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 12:43-44

Though the widow only gave two cents…she had given all she had! 

I love the thought that one of my grandsons already desires to give all he has to Jesus!

I love his generous heart!

And though I desire to share and teach my grandchildren about Jesus…there are many days that I am learning from them.

And if I am completely honest, our little Graham is teaching all of us an important lesson.

He is teaching me (and maybe you too) to have a more generous heart…to give more of ourselves!

Graham already understands (as best as he can at his tender age)…that all we have belongs to Jesus!

Maybe each of us needs to be a little more like our sweet Graham!

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you for teachable moments!  Thank you for grandsons who desire to give all of their money to you!  Lord, help us to be generous with all that we have…remind us that all that we have already belongs to you!