Lord Frederic Leighton: The Widow's Prayer |
"When
he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the
treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, 'I
tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others
have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty,
has offered her whole livelihood.'"
I
love this passage.
When
I'm going through dark times and finding it hard to have faith, I read passages
like this and recognize, again, that Jesus was something special. My lack of
faith is a sea of darkness; he is the high beam of a lighthouse.
He
gets it.
Few
do.
Relativists
insist that Jesus is like other teachers. He's another Lao Tzu or Buddha or
Mohammed or Thor. No, he's not. I know because I've read other scriptures.
Jesus is unique.
***
There's
a phrase I can't stand: "I wish I could do something."
We
can all do something. If we want to do something, we do it. If we don't want to
do something, we don't do it.
If
you want to do something, do it, no matter how small.
Want
to save the world but you can't? Sit down, right now, and write a check to an
organization that is working on something you care about.
I
earn a laughably small sum of money. I donate – modest sums – to a number of
organizations: St Jude's Hospital, World Wildlife Fund, Audubon Society, Humane
Society, public radio. If someone who lives paycheck to paycheck and subsists
on rice and beans, can "do something" *you* can do something.
Pray
for someone. Send a card. Offer a shoulder. Make a call. Pay someone a
compliment. Connect two people who might enhance each other's lives. Remember
someone's birthday or anniversary or story and remind him or her. Forgive
someone. Assume the best of another person. Hold your anger. Hold your insult.
Encourage others.
Don't
say to people, "I wish I could do something."
Jesus
is urging you on, with the widow's mite story.
Today's
reflection brought to you by the randomly drawn tarot card, the ace of coins.
Thank you for posting this today!
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