The Crumb Jar

This book is about the giving that comes from you and me, individually—what we give out of our pockets or time, either directly to the poor and needy, or to organizations on the front lines, daily, to help the poor and needy.

It’s a challenge to do so in a small, repeatable, consistent way.

It’s a challenge that can be met by each one of us in such a way that few, if any of us, suffer any financial impact from making these gifts.

The Bible minces no words about giving. In general, we are to give to three broad groups: one another, the most vulnerable, and to God. This book will focus on giving to the most vulnerable.

We Christians seem to focus on giving to God and then to one another. We quickly put our gifts in the offering plate and volunteer at light speed to jump on the chuck wagon if a fellow church member has an illness or death in the family. Often the food train is too long. These are the fun things—helping our church and helping our friends and neighbors.

But how many of us have a consistent plan to give to the poor and needy, the widows, the fatherless, the undesirables, or the most vulnerable? Or the sick, the lame, the criminal, the deaf, the blind, the alien? What do we do for them? Not as much as we probably should. God, however, is clear:

The Bible instructs us to give generously to the poor. That’s kinda scary. How much do we give? How much should we give?

“Generous” can mean more than one thing depending on context. Initially, it means giving a lot, as in making a generous donation. For example, cutting some charity a thousand-dollar check. That’s generous, but usually is a one-time gift. Not many of us can afford it.

But Matthew 10:42 (NIV) says, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” A cup of cold water. That’s not much—unless to that person, in that moment, it is.

So “generous” can also mean giving on the spot, as in buying something to eat or drink for someone who needs it. A simple, generous act. Doesn’t matter that it’s small. It is spontaneous, willing, kind, and from a pure heart. There’s no motive, and it doesn’t benefit you. It’s something for someone else that blesses them. All this type of generosity requires is a willingness to give when the opportunity presents. Small generosities.

Do you give to the most vulnerable? What if you’re doing little to nothing and want to start? Have you been thinking about a way to do more? That’s the purpose of this book—starting. Developing a plan and beginning. Over time you can work your way from small generosities to giving an amount that God guides you to give.

The same goes for giving to the poor. This book offers a way to start small and do a little more over time as God leads. Hopefully, by using a crumb jar, your budget will never miss the gift.