Sharing Your Poverty

by Arelene Ghilardi

ho wants to share their lack, their inability, their disadvantage? That surely is an illogical notion! Who would want to reach out his hand and take something seemingly inferior? It is the natural tendency to discard that which is small or less than perfect in order to choose that which appears to provide maximum benefit. Only God chooses the "dented" can over the perfect one, the rusty car over the new one. God alone chooses the bruised reed, the smoking flax, the barren womb. In God's word we find that He repeatedly chooses those who "can't" in favor of these who "can." He chooses the bankrupt to bring forth His riches.

One day Jesus sat in the Temple in Jerusalem and watched those who were bringing an offering to God. (1) He watched the rich put in large amounts. Their gift was not sacrificial; they still had an abundance at home. No faith was involved in their giving. Their finances were virtually unaffected by their gift. Then the widow came with her two mites. Added together they only came to a farthing or about four cents. Jesus knew that this was all her living. This beloved widow shared her poverty with the Lord. Jesus took notice and was blessed.

Her sacrificial giving brings a lesson to all of us. How could she give that which she couldn't afford? This simple woman was widowed from the world. It was obvious that her attachments were not to the earth, for she was able to release everything into the hands of God. She had nothing, but that nothingness opened her up to the eternal realm of endless supply and enabled her to possess all things.(2) The giving of her all brought heaven's approval; that was all that mattered to her. We are blessed when we are less able and less endowed with this earth's supply. Our emptiness makes us eligible to receive all the resources of His Kingdom.

"What matters most is to do His will."

In the days of Elijah the prophet, we learn of another widow in the land of Zarephath. (3) Severe drought brought on by the judgments of God had reduced her food supply down to just one last meal for herself and her son. She had no hope they would survive beyond the nourishment of that one last meal. Prosperity was a thing of the past. The very elements about her cried out for heavenly intervention. The parched and cracked earth was no longer able to produce. The only thing now in view was death.

Then, in the midst of this impossible situation came another mouth to feed! Imagine her thoughts when this stranger came and asked for a drink of water in a time of such scarcity. I'm sure she dreaded the inevitable. "If he asks me for food, what in the world shall I say?" she mused. No sooner had the thought cross her mind when Elijah's request came. He promised something unbelievable! If she would only give him a meal first, the supply of flour and oil would not exhaust!

Could she take the chance there would really be enough for the needs of her family? Who is this man? Is this really a word from the Lord? At that moment she was faced with a choice. Would she believe the assurances of this man who came from nowhere or would she cling to her own small supply? If she held on to what she had, at least she would be assured of something.

There was something taking place the widow didn't know about. She didn't realize she was part of a larger picture concerning God's purposes in the earth. God Himself had chosen her, a Phoenician woman - most likely a Gentile - to give life to His holy prophet. Thankfully, she decided to share her poverty. Her mind was opened to the realm of heavenly possibility. She willed to obey the voice of God through the prophet and gave when it made no sense to be generous. By so doing, she stepped out of the narrowness of her personal circumstances into the framework of God's larger picture.

Her step of faith to respond to God's command reaped rich dividends. As long as the drought prevailed she had enough for both Elijah and her household! "And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord which He spake by Elijah" (5)

Has God called you to move forward in Him at an inconvenient time? Maybe you feel empty, unqualified, not ready, weary or overwhelmed. Do you wish you could ignore the prodding of the Holy Spirit to launch out of your comfort zone, to give to God that which seems logical to keep for yourself? Stretch forth your withered will and see the marvelous works of God through you! (4) The stress of living in your own poverty will soon be replaced with a deep knowledge that what matters most is to do His will.

It will cost you to share your poverty, but let God take care of the results. You are in the hands of a loving and caring God. Jesus never abandons those who abandon to Him.

(1) Mark 12:41-44
(2) 2 Corinthians 6:10
(3) 1 Kings 17:1-16
(4) Mark 3:5
(5) 1 Kings 17:16