Following a most helpful conversation this morning, through which I developed a far richer appreciation of the background  to the unique ‘Three Tikanga’ structure of the Anglican church here in New Zealand, I was led to think more and more about several things. Partnership, Sharing and ‘Generosity’.

It comes to me that true generosity only begins when we learn what it is to share of ourselves. In the context of most of us, this means, when we are stripped of things and money except that which is essential to our own well-being – the necessary food and clothes and shelter. Then when we share, we are giving of ourselves truly sacrificially.

There are many words we use carelessly, especially those of us who have much, and I am most definitely one of those. We speak of ‘sacrificial’ giving. But such giving is almost always out of our excess, after we have looked to our own ‘needs’, which may include such fripperies as vacations or a new car. Giving out of our abundance is not generosity as biblically understood. Christ comes amongst us divested of everything. It is out of this emptiness of possession he gives All he has, to us and to the Father.  That is Generosity.

The story of the widows mite needs to be read in the light of this ‘divested generosity’ of the Son of God.