When Value Meets Sacrifice
I’ve lived long enough to know that people who say things like, ‘It’s the thought that counts,’ or ‘It’s not about the amount you give, it’s about the spirit behind it’, those people, normally aren’t the ones wrestling with real-life budgets and responsibilities. Truth is, the cost does matter; just ask Judas, who we criticize, not for recognizing the value of the perfume, but for missing the moment.
Yes, Judas was the treasurer. He saw the numbers. He knew that oil was expensive. But Jesus, the very embodiment of eternal value, said something radical: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
Astonishing!
It wasn’t just about the oil; it was about the revelation of timing and presence. What is valuable in heaven’s eyes may not always make sense on a spreadsheet.
We are called to a dual truth: honor Jesus with our best and remember the poor. One does not cancel out the other. We live in a time where Jesus is not physically here, yet His heart beats in every act of sacrificial love toward the marginalized. This is where true kingdom economics begins, where heaven values the motive and the measure.
Unfortunately, many of us are quicker to sow into our own breakthrough than to pause for the person holding a cardboard sign. We’ll shout, dance, and give for the word that’s “for us,” but hesitate when that same generosity is needed outside the sanctuary. Why? Because real love costs something. Real compassion stretches us.
I know the arguments…
“They’ll just sell the food, Sis. Makesha.”
“They might buy drugs.”
“Shouldn’t we teach them to fish?”
“How do we know the money is really going to the people and not just taking care of the NGO owner?”
… those questions, while valid in social theory, can become justifications for disengagement. Jesus, while observing the collection box at the Temple, watched rich people give large amounts and called his disciples(followers) to highlight a poor widow’s offering. He simply said, she gave more, because she gave all she had, instead of a tiny part of the surplus.
This week, I challenge you to measure your generosity by the size of your seed, AND by the condition of your heart.
Give wisely, but give passionately.
Sow strategically, but sow.
Because when value meets sacrifice in love, it becomes worship.
Bloom in Solitude 🌸