Some "Mitey" Inspiration

No, I didn't misspell Mitey.  It's just a play on words from the story of the widow with two mites in Luke 21:1-4.  This woman was a widow who gave everything she had, two copper coins that were called mites, and Jesus was very pleased with her for doing so.  I've read some stories recently that remind me of this generous widow.

I've read a book recently titled Mercy Rising by Amber Robinson, which I highly recommend.  It is a book on how you can bring justice and compassion to those in need right from your own home.  One of the stories she shared is titled "Mother Teresa's Story About Spiritual Provision".

Some time ago a man came to our door saying, "Mother, there is a family with eight children who have not eaten for a long time. You've got to do something."  So I took the rice and went.  When I arrived, I could see the hunger shining from their eyes.  I gave the rice to the mother, she took it, divided it in two, and went out.  When she returned , I asked her, "Where did you go?"

She said, pointing to her neighbor's home, "They are hungry also."

What an amazing heart that mother had that she would share food given to her family with others who were also starving.  I was very humbled by this story.  How often do I hoard what I have when I could be giving more to those in need.

I mentioned in a previous post that I read a book titled The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun.  I recently completed another book he wrote titled Living Water.  This book is filled with Brother Yun's teachings.  One story he shared really impacted me.  He discussed in Chapter 18 about how he really misses the services where they commission missionaries going to remote villages.  He describes how the Christians attending these services pass the offering bag around and place everything they own in that bag.  Then when the bag gets to those who have nothing to give, they literally get into the bag themselves as a signal to God that they are giving Him themselves.  What wholehearted giving these people have.  I want to be wholehearted in my giving to the Lord as well.


Not too long ago, a family from our adoption agency traveled to Ethiopia to visit their child and go to court.  While on that trip they met a taxi driver and they described some very special attributes about he and his family.  They do not have much and live in a very small 2 room pieced-together-house.  Let's just say it would never meet code here in America, but they have a roof over their heads.  They often go without food so their children can go to school.  You see they actually have to choose between school and food, unlike here in most parts of America.  As you can imagine, they do not have a lot of money, in fact they have very little.  The taxi driver's dream is for his children to have shoes.  That just shows you how material things are very hard to come by for this family.  One of the other adoptive families bought S and his family a pizza.  They had never had a pizza before.  And you know what S and his family did.  They shared that pizza with their neighbors.  They didn't share it with just one neighbor, but many neighbors.  This man who has little to nothing can give something he and his family have never had before to those around them who also probably never had it before either.  That just shows you what a giving, generous heart he and his family have.

What I have learned from these stories as well as some others I've seen show me that if people can give in their desperation and poverty, how much more so can I, who has plenty, give sacrificially.

"Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.?" 2 Corinthians 8:2