Giving her all
“All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave
extravagantly what she couldn’t afford — she gave her all.”
Mark 12:44 MSG
Did you have a bible when you were a kid? You know the kind- usually more pictures than words. Mine was paperback, square and small enough to fit in mom's purse. The stories were just 1 page with a single picture. The pictures were realistic and painted with deep, dark colors.
I had 2 favorite pictures in my children's bible- the picture for the story of Jesus raising the little girl from the dead, and the picture of the widow putting coins in a box. I was really drawn to that somber painting. It made me feel sad that this poor woman had only a few coins. It felt a little scary to imagine her giving everything. How would she eat lunch? I worried for that woman.
As a kid, the worry I felt for the woman caused me to worry for myself, too. I didn't have a lot of money in my piggy bank, and if I emptied it out then how was I supposed to eat lunch? (Definitely not a logical worry. My parents fed me regularly.)
But I know, and I hope you know, that money is not the only offering available. I decided before we had kids that they would know just that. So when the girls do something good or kind, I try to point out that their choices and actions are a gift to God, whether they intended it or not!
Easter morning Sylvia presented some really beautiful gifts to Jesus. It was appropriate that it was as we remembered Jesus giving his life. It's probably why I noticed.
Her church clothes were not what I would have chosen, but that girl beat me out of bed and got herself dressed. I figured Jesus probably wasn't worried about if things matched, so I wasn't either. I chose to love the practice in independence.
Then we spent 20 or 25 minutes in the barn, as we always do at this time of year. As the lambs ate, we listened to Dolly Parton sing "He's Alive," because it's only reasonable the lambs should know the good news of Jesus, too. Sylvia sang and danced and danced and sang, and leaped and twirled. Then asked for the song to play again.
And if I haven't told you already, she's going to be a ballerina, so this was the most spectacular and extravagant offering she could muster.
I don't think she considered that Jesus was watching. But I sure did. And I thought of the smile on Jesus' face as Sylvia gave her all in that barn ballet performance.
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