1As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3″I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4 (NIV)

This past weekend, I watched Oprah’s Big Give for the first time. Now, I do not watch Oprah’s talk show, but the theme for the Big Give show interested me. As my husband says, “It’s right up my alley.”

The premise of the show is that contestants compete to “outgive” one another. They think there is nothing in it for them except to go out and change the lives of total strangers, which, in my mind, would be a tremendous blessing. What they don’t know is that the “last man standing” will receive 1 million dollars from Oprah.

In the episode that I watched this past weekend, the contestants were given $700,000…$100,00 per contestant as there were seven contestants left competing, to spend in 24 hours. The rules were that they could not give more than $500 to any one individual, and they could not give more than $10,000 in any one location. They also were not allowed to give the individuals cash directly. So, they had to come up with creative, innovative ways to help people without just handing them money. And, they only had 24 hours in which to accomplish their task.

I admit, it was more difficult than one might think, especially in that amount of time. Only one of the seven contestants was able to give away the entire $100,000. Several other’s gave away between $60,000 and $80,000.

This is a concept that I have thought about often. I have always wondered what it might be like to have extreme financial wealth and be able to help every person I meet who is in need.

I enjoy giving to other’s. It makes me feel good to know that I have made a difference in someone’s life regardless of how big or small the offering might have been.

In the passage of scripture referenced above, Jesus watched as the rich put their gifts in the temple treasury. Then He saw a widow give two small copper coins. Jesus said that her gift was greater than all the rest because the rich gave from their wealth, but she gave out of her poverty. She gave all she had to live on. Her gift was truly a sacrifice.

I don’t have untold wealth. I can not even imagine how the Oprah’s or Bill Gate’s of the world live. But there are many in this world who can not imagine how I live. I AM wealthy compared to many people in this world. I give, but I could and should do more.

May the widow in Luke 21 be an example to us all of what it means to truly give to other’s.

11 Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his father’s whole family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” “Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and your father’s whole family.”
17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19 He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.

I live in North Carolina about 45 minutes from where Eve Carson, Student Body President of UNC, was murdered on March 6th. A random, senseless, tragic death. The men who killed her will now stand trial for first-degree murder.

On Tuesday of this week, a memorial service was held in Eve’s honor. That morning, as I was working through my daily devotion by Beth Moore on King David, I read the part in David’s story where King Saul murdered Ahimelech and his entire family because Ahimelech had helped David after he fled from Saul. Tragic…senseless, just like the death of Eve Carson.

We live in an evil, fallen world. We have since the first sin in the Garden of Eden and will continue to do so until Jesus returns.

The men who murdered Eve Carson will stand trial in our local court system, and hopefully, justice will be served. Like Saul, who died by his own hand when the Philistines closed in on he and his sons, they will suffer for what they have done. We do not know if Saul asked for God’s forgiveness before his death. We are later told that his head was cut off and his body put on display. (See 1 Samuel 31).

These acts were heinous. They inspire feelings of anger and sadness and a desire to see these men punished. And most likely Eve Carson’s killers will be. It seems safe to say that Saul certainly suffered for his treatment of David and the murders of Ahimelech and his family.

Still, for the men who murdered Eve Carson, redemption is still a possibility. It came in the person of Jesus. All they need do is ask for forgiveness and it will be given. “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1

Tomorrow is Good Friday, the day we as Christians recognize as the torture and crucifixion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As He hung on the cross, He saw Saul. He saw the men who murdered Eve. He saw me. He saw you.

And with a love we can barely even begin to fathom, He uttered the words, “It is finished,” and His Spirit went to be with His Heavenly Father, the same One who is a Father to you and to me.

I am humbled. I am overwhelmed. I am more grateful than mere words can express. If I had been the only one here in need of saving, He still would have come. And He would have come only for you.

And as we celebrate His defeat of death and evil on Easter Sunday in the form of His resurrection, won’t you join me in praying that those men find the hope that we have?