【双语灵修】少的反而是多的 When Less Is More

“‘他们都是自己有余，拿出来投在里头，但这寡妇是自己不足，把她一切养生的都投上了。’” - 可 12:44

当耶稣看着众人在圣殿里奉献时，衪鉴察的是人的心，而不是奉献资财的多少，衪知道谁吝啬或者谁慷慨。衪随后解释说，穷寡妇的奉献是真心的敬拜。

教会理事会或者非盈利组织的理事会，总禁不住要取悦捐献大笔金钱的人。这些人的财富能带来权势和影响力，富有的人往往被邀请出任领导人，是别人梦寐以求的朋友。即便在基督的教会中，金钱也时常被视为万能的。然而，耶稣在此却说：“先别这么快就下定论。”

我们应该寻找财富资源有限但却非常慷慨的人做朋友、做顾问、和出任领导人。不要忽视我们中间看起来最卑微的人，反而要求耶稣帮助我们看到各人无与伦比的价值，彼此取长补短。财富今天在，明天便消失了。耶稣关心的乃是人心里的意念。

最近有一位以做保洁谋生的单亲妈妈，她把一叠信封送给教会，每个信封里面都有现金，是她从每星期的收入拨出一部份放在里面的。比起一个富有的人的捐献，她献上的金额并不大，但从她的诚意和舍己的角度来看，她所献的是极其宝贵的。有时，少的反而是多的呢！

（BMB）

祷告

主啊，求你帮助我，像你那样看到人心里的动机和价值，又帮助我以分享一切我所拥有的为乐。阿们。

马可福音 12:41-44

41耶稣对银库坐着，看众人怎样投钱入库。有好些财主往里投了若干的钱。
42有一个穷寡妇来，往里投了两个小钱，就是一个大钱。
43耶稣叫门徒来，说：“我实在告诉你们：这穷寡妇投入库里的比众人所投的更多，
44因为他们都是自己有余，拿出来投在里头，但这寡妇是自己不足，把她一切养生的都投上了。”

When Less Is More

“They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” - Mark 12:44

Jesus was doing heart checks, not money checks, as he watched people bring their offerings to the temple. He knew who was being stingy and who was being generous. And he explained how the gift of the poor widow was a true act of worship.

It can be tempting for church councils and nonprofit boards to focus too much on pleasing major donors, whose money can yield power and influence. It’s often the wealthy who are sought out for leadership roles and coveted as friends. Even in the body of Christ, money talks. But Jesus is saying here, “Not so fast.”

We also should seek out people with limited financial resources and abundant generosity to be part of our friend circles, to mentor others, and to serve as leaders. Rather than looking past those who seem to be least among us, we need to ask Jesus for his eyes to see one another’s incredible value and to learn from each other. Wealth can be here today, gone tomorrow. Jesus is concerned with the motives of the heart.

Recently a single mom who cleans houses for a living gave the church a packet of envelopes that each contained cash she had set aside from her weekly earnings. The total amount was not very much compared with that of a wealthier donor, but in terms of her heart and sacrifice, it was extremely valuable. Sometimes less is more!

(BMB)

Prayer

Lord, help me to see the motives and value of people as you do. And help me to find joy in sharing all that I have. Amen.