all your mite...

i absolutely love the art work done by james c. christensen.
although, he has created many of my favorites,
i am pretty positive this one is my most favorite:

i have always loved the story of the widow's mite told at the end of mark 12.
in four short verses, we learn a simple - yet profound - lesson.

"and Jesus sat over against the treasury, and
beheld how the people cast money into the
treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

and there came a certain poor widow,
and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

and he called unto him his disciples, and
saith unto them, verily I say unto you, that this
poor widow hath cast more in, than all they
which have cast into the treasury:

for all they did cast in of their abundance;
but she of her want did cast in all that she had,
even all her living."

there are two main lessons i get out of this story:

1. are we giving our all to the Lord, or just what is left over?
our time..
thoughts..
service..
resources..
love..
patience..
talents..
might..

2. are we being too critical and hard on ourselves for not having the capability to give more?
it is so easy to compare ourselves to those around us,
and often the comparison is between our worst qualities and their best.
when the time comes, God is not going to judge us that way.
He will judge us on how much we met our personal potentials on this earth.
did we try hard to make each new day better than the last - repenting and forgiving as we went?
did we remember sacred covenants and strive to keep them?
did we love will all our heart?

it may be small, but if it is your all, it's enough.