“She gave out of her poverty, gave all she had.” -Mark 12:44 (Mark 12:41-44)

During tha last week of his life on earth as a man, tha Son watched as folks put thar money in ter tha temple treasury. Ah good many rich fellers threw in large amounts, but a poor widow put in two small coins worth only a fraction of a shilling. Tha Son seen this and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

Stunned, tha Son’s disciples asked him how this could be.

“They gave out of their wealth,” he replied. “She gave out of her poverty, gave all she had.”

We might think a tithe of ten percent be enough, but in tha kingdom of Skipper that be but tha least amount we be called ter give. Tha widows offering reminds us of a tale told some years back of a poor young couple needing ter give each other gifts at Christmas.

A feller owned a beautiful gold watch passed down ter him from his father and grandfather. His wife had long, beautiful hair. On Christmas Eve, she decides ter cut off her hair and sell it so she kin buy her husband a platinum fob chain fer his watch. That evening when tha husband comes in tha house he stares at his wife with a strange expression on his face. Fearing he might not think her pretty without her long braids, his wife quickly explains how she sold her hair ter buy him a gift.

That’s when he takes out his present fer her. When she sees a set of expensive decorative hair combs she begins ter cry. Each has sacrificed fer tha other tha most treasured thing they possessed: him his father’s watch, she her long locks.

That be tha heart of the widow at the temple: she gave all she had, gave her very heart ter Skipper. Oh, that we might do tha same. Not ’cause Skip needs our goods. He don’. But cause we need Skip’s huge arms wrapped around us, holding us tight, and reminding us we be loved, be his, be at home in him.

Give ’cause ya love Skipper and his Son, not ’cause ya have ter. And if that not be yer heart ter day, beg Skip ter change yer heart ter love him with tha same sort of love he has fer ya.