What is Sacrificial Giving?

Dr. Tom Freeman former pastor of First Baptist Church in Dunn, North Carolina
shares a story of two American businessmen special encounter in Korea.

Two wealthy Americans, a lawyer and a merchant, joined a group making a trip
around the world.  Before they left their pastor asked them to observe and
remember people and things they saw that had to do with Christian missions.

One day in Korea they saw in a field by the roadside a boy pulling a crude
plow, while an old man held the handle and directed it.  They were so touched
by this sight that they photographed it and made notes about it.

They asked their guide, who was a missionary about this unusual sight.  He
said, "That is the family of Chi Noui.  When the church was being built they
were too poor to give anything to help, so they sold their ox and gave the
money to help build the church.  Now they are pulling the plow."

The Americans said, "That must have been a real sacrifice." The
missionary said, "They did not call it that.  They thought they were fortunate
to have an ox to sell."  The two Americans were speechless, but their hearts
were deeply touched.  When they returned home they told their pastor.

"Pastor," one of them said, "I want to double my giving to the church, and
please give me some plow work to do for my Lord.  I've never known what
sacrifice meant.  A converted heathen taught me, and I am ashamed to say
that I have never given anything to my church that really cost me anything."
The other man agreed as they both made ledges to make real sacrifice for
the Lord.

Where did the Korean Christians learn about such giving?

The Bible in Mark 12:41 & 42 tells about a day Jesus watched people make
their offerings in the Temple.  The rich gave large gifts, but Jesus did not
comment until a poor widow put in two mites.  Then Jesus said, Mark 12:43 &
44, "She has given more than any of them.  They gave a little of their
wealth, but she gave everything she had."

The rich made a token offering, the widow made a sacrifice.

The same encounter business men found in Korea was based in the principle
in the offering from the widow!

What is sacrificial giving?

It's not what you give, it's what you have left!