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The Spiritual Man, book by H. H. Pope Shenouda III

6- The depth in giving

St-Takla.org Image: The widow's mite صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: فلسي الأرملة

Take the depth by which Abraham took his son to offer him as a burnt offering:

In his offering, he was in depth of love to God... He loved God much more than his son, his only son whom he loved, the son of promise which was fulfilled after many years... Also, in his offering he was in the depth of obedience to God and in the depth of faith, because he believed that despite of his offering, surely his descendants will multiply as the sand which is on the sea shore...

In the offering of Isaac, Abraham was in the depth of giving.

There is no giving more deep than this. Another example is the widow who put the two mites. The Lord praised her and said: “She has put in more than all those who have given, because she put in all that she had, her whole livelihood ” (Mk 12:41-44).

Also, among other examples, what the widow of Zarephath offered to Elijah the Prophet: “Only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar” (1 Kings 17:12). The depth of this offering is that she gave all what she had at the time of famine... To prepare for herself and her son, that they may eat it and die.. But she gave preference to Elijah over herself and her son...

We can also see the depth of giving in other examples:

The one who presents the tithes of his money while he is in great poverty and need. Or he who gives his first salary, which he was waiting for to pay his debts... Or a servant who gives his time to the service during days of exams while he needs every minute... Or he who donates one of his organs to transplant into a sick person whom he loves... Or he who borrows to give a needy man...