Charitable Giving with 401K Distributions
In Luke 21:1-4, you will find the famous story of the widow who gave her last two “mites” (KJV) to the Temple treasury. The passage reads as follows: “While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said, ‘this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has’.”
According to the story, Jesus was watching as the rich dropped their offerings into the Temple treasury. The treasury was located in the court of women and consisted of 13 trumpet shaped collection boxes, each bearing an inscription indicating the use of each gift. It was not uncommon for the gifts of the rich to be announced publicly. Jesus observed these generous free will offerings without condemnation or criticism.
This image was placed in contrast to a simple widow who put in two “mites.” Widows in the first century were generally considered to be the poorest of the poor. They possessed no rights to property and had virtually no prospects to earn income. They were without advocacy or support. They held no status. The widow gave two small copper coins, called lepta. The two lepta were the economic equivalent of 1 66th of 1 day’s wage. She gave with all of her might.
Jesus’ evaluation of her act was straightforward: The widow gave more than the rich because she gave all. Literally, she gave all her bios, her life. While others gave out of their abundance, she gave all she had. She didn’t save a cushion. She had no promise for more income. And most intriguing of all, Jesus made no attempt to stop her.
Lucy grew up in a midwestern community, and after completing her Associate’s degree in secretarial science became the bookkeeper of a startup company. She never married or had children. Because Lucy had grown up in her Church it served to meet all of the family needs of her life. Although she didn’t earn the income of her peers, she was wise with her money and lived simply. Generosity was always a part of her long and fruitful life. As Lucy began to make her estate plan, she quickly determined that she would leave all of her earthly resources to the eternal causes supported by her Church. She had two life insurance policies and a 401K plan, all three of which she assigned to the Church as sole beneficiary made payable upon death.
What can learn and apply from Jesus’ words about the widow’s gift in the Temple? Here are three simple applications from this great story. First, the size of the gift is not everything. Have you ever noticed how a parent can melt over a picture drawn by their 5 year old? Or how a parent will always cherish the humble gifts given by their kids that they have purchased with their own money? Significance cannot be measured by volume. Sometimes the smallest of gifts add the most value. Jesus witnessed the offerings from the rich and the poor alike. But it’s important to understand that Jesus doesn’t count our gifts, He weighs them.
Next, the point of the story is not the gift itself. The point of the story is trust. Who really meets your needs? The response Jesus seeks from the reader is not for us to run to the bank and empty our bank accounts. The story calls us to wrestle with the question, “Who am I really trusting for my life?” “Who is the source upon which I place my reliance?” The widow gave her last two cents because she trusted God to supply her needs and to be her resource for living.
Finally, Jesus still watches the treasury. Jesus sees what is in your hand and He sees what is in your heart. The heart and the hand are organically linked. So it’s not a matter of the amount of the offering in your hand. It’s about how tightly you are gripping it. What is in your heart? Yes, He sees the gifts you offer. But He’s not just looking at the size of the check. He’s weighing your heart as well. Does He feel the weight of your trust?
Your church is prepared to equip you to wrestle with these financial questions and others like them. The Corinthian believers were commended by the Apostle Paul because they gave themselves first to the Lord before they gave anything else. (2 Corinthians 8:5) Your generosity game plan begins with that same commitment. The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills is the reliable provision for your bios--from the money in your portfolio right down to the next beat of your heart. How will you demonstrate your trust in God today? Are you giving with all your might?
