Something I have never done is give all that I have to someone else. There is a very powerful story in the Bible, maybe one of the top 5, or at least it is on my list. Even if you are not a Bible reader, you should read this story. It is the story of “true love!” The “WIDOW’S OFFERING” found in Luke 21:1-4, “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘Truly I tell you,’ JESUS said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'” This story makes my heart so soft, so tender. This woman was a widow, all alone, and she gave ALLLLLLLLL that she had to live on, meaning her money needed in order to eat!!! This lady gave all she had to the Lord, the temple, God’s house, out of her love for CHRIST!!
I hear people all the time talk about who they want to see when they get to heaven, or questions they want to ask God. Well I want to meet her, the widow. I want to know about her life. I want to know how her husband died. I want to know if she had kids. I want to know her personal testimony of knowing Christ. I want to know her life journey!!! I want to know all the events that led her into such a love and trusting relationship with Christ that it led her to give all her earthly possessions to Christ. I know one thing for sure that factored into her testimony of that gift of two coins was that she was a widow!! That had to play into where she was with Christ at that time. From hearing that story during vacation Bible school when I was a child, ’til now even, it still packs power that I can’t even describe in my spirit!! It makes me SEEK GOD MORE, because I know that I am not where she was when she gave it all!!
As I have said so many times, I am a work in progress. I am earnestly seeking to know and love Christ more every day but, even more, I desire for others to know HIM. I so want others to experience what I have in my own life. The reassurance, the comfort, the guidance, the peace, the blessings (not talking about material here), the trust, the love……. the over-flowing abundance that comes and can only be experienced through inviting Jesus into your heart. Sounds so simple and it is. To know Jesus as “LORD”. It doesn’t matter to HIM what you have done, what you have or don’t have, who you have been, or where you come from. ALL THAT MATTERS is that you have just a mustard seed of faith to believe HE exists and have a sincere desire to know HIM, all the while trusting and inviting HIM to come into your heart and BE THE DIFFERENCE in your life. HE WILL. I PROMISE!!!
From a young age I have never been ashamed of the “GOSPEL”. If you don’t know what that means, it means the story of Jesus, His life, His death and His resurrection. It is true and it is real. The one thing that NO ONE CAN EVER DISPUTE WITH ME is my personal testimony OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE IN MY LIFE AND THROUGH ME! THAT is why my belief is so strong. I have a personal account, an eyewitness testimony of HOW HE HAS WORKED IN MY LIFE THAT NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON CAN ARGUE WITH ME ABOUT IT.
I don’t like to argue ’cause I believe no one wins an argument. I do want to challenge everyone reading this journal. First, IF you know Christ and truly love HIM, then SHARE HIM WITH OTHERS. If you have people you love and you don’t share Christ, I believe one of two things. Either you don’t love and trust Christ enough to share or, you don’t really genuinely care about that person who doesn’t know HIM. You are kidding yourself!! Fear of what they would think is selfish and self-centered on your part and mine. You care more about yourself and what people think instead of caring about them and their future. I am not at all suggesting that you just beat people over the head with JESUS, that never works. I am saying, ask God to help you share HIM and His love in the best way that others can see HIM. Sharing will look different for everyone because circumstances and backgrounds will be different . It may just be loving them and praying for them and looking for opportunities to share. The point is to be intentional and concerned about the people in your life. Those who come across your path who don’t KNOW HIM. I have learned to be sensitive to hearing from God and meeting people where they are in life, realizing everyone hasn’t seen life or experienced God through the “glasses I have.” God has though. He is an all-knowing, all-loving God and he can work through you to be an EXTENSION OF HIMSELF.
I realize we fail HIM at times with our actions. That is common ground I like to start with, my sin and short comings. That allows me to share how God forgives and that I am a work in progress. The one thing for sure in this calling on my life that I want to make sure you know is…”DO NOT PUT ME ON A PEDESTAL!” I will for sure disappoint you, God never will. Put HIM on the pedestal!! Elevate HIM, and make sure people know you don’t have to be perfect, just surrendered. A big difference! I have always loved sharing with my kids how a growing relationship with Christ gives you life and freedom you can’t experience apart from HIM. It is not about what you think you will have to give up. It is all about what you GAIN!! IF you are reading this and you don’t know HIM, I challenge you to just pray a simple prayer to God. Say, “God I don’t know You but I want to. Please come into my heart, forgive me of my sins, even though I don’t know what they are, and be real to me!” That is all that it takes. Just a simple, sincere prayer that will make all the difference in your life. God WILL SHOW UP! AND HE WILL BE REAL TO YOU! It is not just a promise from me, it is from HIM!