By Pastor Scott Rosekrans
This past Sunday, during our time of reflection, I noticed a man I knew to be homeless walk forward and place one of our offering envelopes into the basket we use for joys and concerns.
When it came time to share joys and concerns, I removed the envelope and could tell there were coins inside. Later, during the offering, I placed that same envelope into one of the offering plates. This morning, the envelope appeared in my in-box with a note from one of our counters suggesting the coins be added to the cash we use to fund our food pantry—which I did.
I know what you’re thinking.
Looking up, Jesus saw rich people throwing their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow drop in two small copper coins worth only a penny. Jesus said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than them all. All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she, from her hopeless poverty, has given everything she had to live on.” – Luke 21:1–4
I know this man is homeless because a couple of weeks ago, while we were serving our Saturday soup, I sat and visited with him. He told me he had just moved into the tiny home village our church is hosting on our property.
Like Jesus, we don’t make church attendance a requirement in exchange for acts of kindness. Still, I appreciate it when one of our neighbors graces us with their presence on a Sunday morning. I noticed a couple of our men talking with him before and after the service, and he complimented me on my message.
He also wanted to talk about one of the other residents—someone who was having a hard time making a go of it and whom he believed was still using drugs.
Giving not from abundance. Thinking of someone who has it rougher than he does.
Scott Rosekrans serves as pastor to the people of Community United Methodist Church in Port Hadlock, Washington.
