Luke 21:1-4

"Jesus noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly this poor widow put in more than all the rest. Those others made offerings from their surplus but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."
Reflection by Jim Orcutt:
The value of a gift is determined two ways:

1. The spirit in which the gift is given. If offered ungrudgingly from a sincere desire to help someone, then it is a godly gift.
2. The "true cost" of the gift is determined by the degree of sacrifice experienced by the giver.

What have I had to "give up/sacrifice" in order to offer this gift? I have been blessed and humbled to witness the generosity of the poor. Immigrants we have the privilege of serving, worry and sacrifice in order to send food to poorer relatives in their native lands. A grandmother caring for her two young granddaughters, sleeps on the floor because she gave her own bed to a young mother and her newborn. Many children who have served at My Brother's Keeper happily forgo presents at their next birthday and ask party goers to bring food for the poor rather than birthday gifts. Truly, as we are told in 2 Corinthians: "God loves a cheerful giver."
I once was asked if I had ever heard of "FHB?" "Yes," I replied, "It stands for "Family Hold Back." Growing up in the 1940's, many parents taught their children the lesson of FHB. Most of the time, there would barely be enough to go around at meal time. If a neighbor showed up with her children late in the afternoon, they would always be invited to stay for supper. Children in the host family had been taught the valuable lesson of charity, known as FHB, and knew it was time for family to "hold back" so there would be enough food to go around.