Eyes Up, Out, and Down

Luke 21:1-4 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

During this time of year I find that I am inundated with requests for year-end donations. Since I have recently retired, this has caused some additional considerations regarding an adjustment to our regular donations since our income stream source has changed. While the 10% tithe used to be a rough guide, now it is a bit more complicated. What is my income? Is it how my investment portfolio has performed over the last year (in which case I should be taking money out of the offering plate!) or is it the money that I am pulling down from my RRSP? Or is there some other measure?

This passage that I read this week, at this moment in time, has caught my attention and I have been ruminating on it. I remember as a child coming across this story in my children’s Bible and it, along with the illustration, made an indelible impression . I can still see the colorful picture in my mind; Jesus and his disciples off to the side, observing the scene as people entered the synagogue. The “rich people” in their luxurious robes, strutting in and flamboyantly depositing their gifts into the collection plate with their eyes looking around pridefully, observing the response from their largess. Following humbly on their heels was the poor widow, wearing a drab brown tattered garment, slightly hunched over, barely lifting her eyes from the floor, secretly placing her meager offering onto the plate.

And then Jesus says these remarkable words: “truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

It strikes me that eyes are so important in this passage - the eyes of the donation participants (the rich people and the poor widow), the eyes of the observers (the disciples and other congregants) and the eyes of God (including Jesus in this story). It made me wonder what my eyes are focused on as I make an “offering,” be it money, material resources, time, talent, or energy.

I have come to the conclusion that my eyes should be looking in three directions:

1. Eyes up

When it comes to making financial charitable donations (and this also applies to any other offering of ourselves that we are making), ideally this occurs with our eyes locked firmly on the eyes of our God. Our “marching orders” should come from him. Our hearts should be synced with his. We should be connected to the vine so that what comes out of us is a product of the divine sap flowing through us. As Jesus said, “those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

And so, in considering how much money to give, who to give it to, or how to spend our time, energy, or talents, this should be driven by and arise from a deep connection with the Spirit. Otherwise, we sell our resources short. I’m always interested in getting the most “bang for my buck” and surely this is the best way to that outcome.

Eyes up also entails doing it as unto the Lord. Colossians 3:17 says: “and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him.” This is a mindset that takes practice. It is giving (and gazing) in two directions simultaneously - outward and upward.

2. Eyes out

At the same time as looking up to receive guidance and to do everything in Jesus’s name (as unto him), we look out in compassion and expectation. Our charity, acts of service, and our very vocation should arise from a heart of compassion for those we serve. As we drop our large gifts or our two small copper coins into the plate, as we go to work in the morning, or as we serve at home, our eyes should be firmly on the beneficiaries of our offering. We move forward in the hope, expectation, and motivation that they will be blessed and benefit from our actions and activities.

3. Eyes down

As we offer the fruit or product of our lives toward those in our world, our eyes should not only be up and out but also down in humility. Our eyes should not be on “the crowd.” We should not be looking for commensurate reward for our gifts. We should offer what we have in humble obedience, compassion, and release to whatever outcome God, in his grace, grants.

My wife Marguerite is a wonderful mentor to me in this area. When I make a donation, my prideful impulse is to make some sort of announcement (perhaps a trumpet blast or two) and receive the accolades that such a generous person as myself deserves. Marguerite wants to give anonymously whenever possible. What a wonderful attitude and example she is for me.

Humility in giving often arises because we recognize the poverty of our gift. We may not have much money, we may not feel very talented, we may not have much time. In the midst of this I believe God is saying to us: “What do you have in your hand? What are your two coins?” I’m reminded of the situation where, after a long day of Jesus’ preaching, the disciples wanted to send the hungry crowd home and surprisingly Jesus says to them: “You give them something to eat.” When they, recognizing their foodstuff poverty, balk at this suggestion, he says “how many loaves have you?” In other words, “what do you have in hand? What do you have to offer?” Jesus is not requiring that we be all-sufficient in our offering. He is simply asking us to humbly offer what we have, and he will do the rest.

This idea is so freeing isn’t it? We, in humility, bring what we have in obedience to his request, and he multiplies it and brings about his kingdom results.

I’m not sure if it’s possible to keep our eyes up, out, and down at the same time but I know that the idea of this multidirectional gaze is helpful for me. Where we don’t want to keep our eyes for very long is on ourselves.

And so, as I approach the end of the year and the many requests for donations, perhaps the question about the 10% tithe is not the right one. Maybe that’s too focused on duty and obligation rather than a divine invitation. Maybe a better question is “God, what are you inviting me into in this season, at this moment in time? Would you give me your heart of compassion and joyful expectation for the person or project that you want me to give myself to? Would you help me to give my gift, such as it is, with joyful, generous abandon and would you multiply it for your kingdom purposes? Would you help me to keep my eyes up, out and down?”