Think about it: your house is on fire, what do you take? You experience a tornado and when you return to the devastation; do you think you have a new sense of value for things?
You just came from the doctor and the report isn’t good you only have a short time to live; what do you do with your remaining time? Sorting out what is really important can be difficult yet in times like those just mentioned our focus is quickly zeroed in. Jesus is just days away from His date with death and He has only a short time to prepare His disciples how to focus on what is really important. As they sit in the temple watching people give Jesus watches the rich give out of their abundance and the poor give out of their sacrifice and He spots the illustration He has been looking for; a widow giving all she has. Just before Jesus goes into a discourse on His end, the disciples end and the end of the world,
He focuses in on one major lesson to set the stage for it all; "I tell you the truth," He said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Lk 21:3,4) While Jesus is focused on His end, the disciples are talking about the beauty of the temple. When Jesus talks about Jerusalem’s end and their end, they are worried about dates.
When Jesus is teaching the world itself will have an end they are focused on signs. What Jesus wants them to see is what is REALLY important – NOW! While the end is coming, now is the time to give your all! While no man knows the hour of Jesus return, we can certainly be aware of the signs of the season, not so we can get ready, but so we can be doing all we can NOW! Ask anyone who has lost all they had to a fire, tornado or gotten bad news from a doctor and they will repeat to you the lesson Jesus was trying to convey to His disciples then; What is REALLY important is NOW! What are you giving to God "NOW" in view of the fact the end is coming!
Dr. William Burnham is pastor of Point of Grace Church in Covington. He can be reached at burnhamw@charter.net.
