It was 5:15pm Friday when she saw her. Ambling down the hallway, the receptionist looked at the clock and thought, "Gee, I wonder how long this is going to take... I wanna get out of here!" As the middle-aged woman came in, she was running through the list of things the woman might be asking for.
But, then the woman began to speak. In fact, she didn't ask for anything at all.
She said she'd been reading lately that it's important to give back to God 10% of what you've been given.
And then the woman began to take out her pack of cigarettes. The receptionist thought to herself, "Oh, now what? Is she going to try to smoke in here? Give me a cigarette?" But instead, the woman pulled out a $100 bill.
This was the 10% she wanted to give to the church.
The receptionist asked if she were a member, and when the woman replied "no," the receptionist quick on the beat asked, "do you want to be?" They laughed.
The $100 was from her monthly social security check. And the woman wanted no recognition for it. No tax form. No name.
And then she left... Gone, but not forgotten... because this woman's simple and humble gift is what Christmas is all about.
Her story reminds me of the woman Jesus points out to the disciples in the Temple-- the widow who gives her only two coins...
Mark 12:41-44
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites,[a] which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites,[a] which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
To give so much when one has so little. And for no other reason than because she is thankful and because she knows it is the right thing to do. With no gain for herself, no reward... Selfless, joyful giving... that really is the true spirit of Christmas! And when I'm hassled trying to buy gifts for my friends and family, and when I wonder about whether or not I can afford to make end-0f-year gifts to the charities and organizations I support, I will remember this woman and her true Christmas spirit!
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