Huge Contrast!

Luke 21:4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. 5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Jesus makes a contrast of epic proportions in these few verses. First, He makes the observation of the value of the poor widow's 2 mites, all she had given to help others. Heaven recorded this sacrificial act in the eternal pages. Then He points to the great wealth of the temple and declares that it would all be coming down in a few years. Its grandeur would be brought to rubble. After all, the whole temple thing had been derailed by greed, corruption and power.

It concerns me that we gawk in awe at that which will pass and ignore the things that God memorializes.

I was in a “church” recently that left a very bitter taste in my mouth. It was a monumental affair of finery and grandeur. One couldn't help but gaze in shock and awe at the immensity of it all. Then the program featured children quoting, or rather misquoting Scripture. Twice, the Great Commission was quoted, both times omitting the command to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. This notable omission angered me to the point where I promised myself that I would never, under any circumstances, enter that place again. How dare they blatantly delete one-third of Jesus' last wishes for His church!

I don't wish difficulty on any true work of God, but I have the feeling that Ichabod may soon be written above the doors of any edifice adorned with goodly stones and gifts if they insist on short-changing the Word of the Lord and wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction.

Just give me some simple, poor people like the little widow woman, willing to give their all to move the work of God along. This is what delights heaven. Their works will shine as the stars forever and ever.