Extravagance
We put a lot of time and energy into making Christmas what we think it should be. We spend more than we can afford on gifts that people don't need, we cook/bake more food and desserts than anyone would consider healthy, and we take time for parties with people we've neglected for much of the rest of the year... everything points to an extravagant celebration!
But when December 26 arrives we're left in debt, overstuffed and exhausted. It's no longer something to celebrate and it feels like we've missed something. For all of our efforts, nothing's really changed. Maybe we missed the point.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the other. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on." (Mark 12:41-44 NIV)
This scene happened during Holy Week - the week preceding Jesus' death on the cross. Here we find Jesus watching a woman give all she had as He was on His way to give all He had. She gave all she could and she was wise enough to know that God didn't need anything more from her... He had her heart.
Instead of doing what we think is expected or required in order to make the "perfect" holiday, we might take our cue from the poor widow. Instead of going overboard and overextending ourselves to the point that we just want Christmas to be done, let's do our best, and trust that God will be satisfied.
She couldn't have known that her two mites were going to echo over centuries as empires and nations would rise and fall, but perhaps at that moment in time, two mites was what God needed most of all.
Extravagance is not an amount - of money, time or talents - it's the sacrifice it took to get it. Giving means more when it comes from a loving heart, and to that end, anyone can be extravagant.
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