What should I expect? Nothing.

In the church we often talk about those great passages that make people WANT to give and tithe. You know, ones like, give and it will be given back - pressed down, shaken together and overflowing will be poured into your lap. for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. I hear guys, like that one down in TX (and lots of others - especially on tv), who seem to be saying that if you give your life to Christ and if you give your money to the church then God will take care of you and you'll get everything you always wanted - new cars, jobs, homes, better family, etc.

But today I wondered whatever happened to the widow?

In verse 4 Jesus praises her in front of the disciples and other for "putting in all she had to live on." But what happens next?! If you believe some - she must have went home and discovered that she had the winning lottery ticket! Or maybe she got a promotion at the Jordan River Laundry so she made more and was given an assistant to carry her load to the river. We desperately want to believe that God must have done something incredible in her life because all we hear is that if we are faithful and give to God what is God He takes responsibility for providing, the new Wii, new car, new 52" flat panel television (you can send it to me!).

But here's the reality. There's no more to that story. Jesus doesn't chase her down and miraculously give her a pile of money. He just recognizes her sacrifice. And He allows it to be a sacrifice. You see, if you and I give to God so that we can "see what He might do to give back to us" then we're wrong. I'm gonna go way out on a spiritual limb here and say that some people who get back so much are not getting that from God. But Satan is keeping them tied to a "give/get" spiritual relationship and that is unBiblical.

My wife and I tithe because we believe we've been asked to in Scripture. It's not our money, that first 10% belongs to God we have no right to spend it. So, with bills in hand and no food on the table (a little exaggeration for effect) we put that check in at church. And God doesn't run to thank us. He doesn't pour out on us great financial blessings. Because we're only giving what we've been told to give. What isn't ours in the first place. If I give back to you something you gave me first should I expect a "thank you"? No. I should be thanking you! That's what we're doing financially. We're saying, "thank You Father for providing for us already." The truth is... He doesn't have to.