When Less Equals More

The best part of the sermon had to be my interview with Erika. 
Byron: What would you think if you saw someone putting this big pile of bills in the collection basket?
Erika: That they really love Jesus!
Byron:  Yeah, that's a lot of money.  What would you think of a person who only put in the two penny's?
Erika: Well, that depends.
Byron: Depends on what?
Erika: Like, maybe if it was a homeless person that would show that they really loved Jesus too.
Perhaps I should have just stopped preaching right there.

The thing that really bothers me about this text is not that Jesus commends the widow; it's that he ignores those who put in the large amounts of money!  I've always been a tither; even when money got tight at home I never neglected my tithe.  I'm convinced God has blessed my family in multiple ways because of that.  However, this text ignores the tithers.  Mark tells us that there were many rich people putting large amounts of money in the temple treasury.  My guess is that they were all faithful tithers.  They were simply doing what they were supposed to do.  The truth is, they still had plenty left over.  The widow put in all she had and even though it was a minuscule amount; Jesus called attention to her gift.  "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43-44)

I'm worried for a church that makes widows like this feel like they're a "ministry" and puts rich young rulers in positions of leadership!  This text causes me no little discomfort. 

Religion or Relationship?

 As I began working on the sermon for this week I was fascinated by reading online quotes concerning religion; almost all of which were negative.  One definition of religion is: "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects."   It is not this definition that causes such a negative reaction from people, but the arrogance, hypocrisy, smugness, and hatred that is so often characteristic of those who hold deeply to their religion. 

Jesus answered the religious leader's question concerning what is most important by going straight to the heart of the matter.  As important as "beliefs and practices" are; they are no where near what Jesus defined as most important.  How would people describe us if we took Jesus seriously?  What if our first objective was to "love our neighbor" rather than convince our neighbor of the truth of our positions?  What if we were more aware of how far we fall short of the command to love God with all of our being than we are of the failings of others?  What if love for God and love for neighbor became the first priority of our lives above every other command of God?  These were some of the questions I think of as I reflect on today's sermon.