Every Sunday my 8-year-old son “Huckle” puts 8 cents in the church collection plate. This Sunday, as he held his coins (loudly trying to keep them quiet) in anticipation of the offering plate passing, I wondered what the deacons think every Sunday when the ‘takings’ end in $0.08. My experience with that deacon duty was the small change could be an irritation – it took a long time to count considering its meager value. I know, I know – as soon as that thought entered my head, I would remember Jesus pointing out the widow and her two small coins (Luke 21:1-4). I know these thoughts are sinful. It’s not about how much is given but about how it is given, the state of the heart.
But now I recognize the value of these coins as going even beyond the current state of the giver’s heart. My son’s eight cents is a tithing of his seventy-five cent allowance. So his offering is symbolic of a heart in training -- training for a lifetime of the discipline, obedience, and joy of giving back the first-fruits to the Giver of All Good Things. I pray that he will always acknowledge the One from whom all blessings flow and will offer all aspects of his life, not just his money, to God’s service. I pray that his small change that will become big change.
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