I once heard an excellent message from Elisa Morgan on the woman whom Jesus commended because she simply did what she could. In that case it was indeed lavish, but in a sense it was limited when you think about it. Both in terms of a past she couldn’t change and the present which would likely be difficult for her in that society. But the future had promise since she would indeed be a part of the society of Jesus.
Oftentimes we wish we could do something big and important, something that will have eternal impact. We lose sight of how God’s kingdom in Jesus works. It works through the smallest of seeds to the blessing of many. God does not despise the day of seemingly small things.
We need to think in terms of what we can do, specifically what God is leading us to do. God surely moved in the heart of this sinful woman (we are all sinners of course, by the way) to do what she did, although surely at the same time it was something that in all her uniqueness she thought through and chose to do. The same goes for us. How can we express our love and gratitude to the Lord for sins forgiven and new life? How can we honor him and be a blessing to others?
Doing what we can is actually what it’s all about* for all of us in the way of Jesus.
*Or one might say, the goal of our faith expressed out of love in the way of Jesus.