I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Exodus 30. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,are to give an offering to the Lord. The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives” (Verses 11-16). We are ALL on common ground at the alter of God. What do I mean? It’s in the verses. Both the rich and the poor were to give the same amount. The rich were not to give more, and the poor were not to give less. In the sight of God they were equal. Not so with us, we see the poor as cursed and the rich as blessed. In fact if we are poor, often times we mistakenly see our poverty as God not loving us or blessing as much as… This scripture makes it clear He doesn’t care how much or how little we have. He cares about our obedience to His words. Why did He have to add the disclaimer; because the rich man (in his human piety), may think, “If I give a little more, surely God would…” While the poor man may think, “If I give that much I won’t have enough. since God is understanding surely He will…” He was specific no more and no less. God doesn’t want our money. He doesn’t need our stuff (uhmm, technically it’s His anyway). He desires us to obey because we love and trust Him. He wants relationship.