Lisa Notes: How to take advantage

How to take advantage

It wasn’t the lesson I expected to teach.
Sometimes God shows up differently, even after all these years.

All these years I’ve looked at the widow who gave away her last two coins as a lesson in giving it all up to God. And perhaps it still is.

But maybe there’s another lesson, too.

One verse earlier, Mark 12:40, Jesus warned his disciples of scribes who take advantage of widows. So when he points out a widow in Mark 12:41-42, maybe she was proving his point.

Was she being taken advantage of? Could there have been another gift she could have given that wouldn’t have left her a beggar? Was Jesus protecting her by teaching his disciples to stand against those who prey on guilt and take advantage of others?

I read backwards again. Here Jesus gives the greatest commands: love God with everything, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31).

This is the new lesson I’m hearing from the story of the widow’s mite:
Don’t take advantage of people. Take advantage of opportunities. To love.

Instead of laying guilt trips on others to give what they don’t have, give them love.

So I gave the girls in class the Five Love Languages Test for Teenagers.

By learning what language they speak most fluently, perhaps they’d take advantage of more opportunities to voice it. To love with it.

What I learned was many of them had gifts of listening, of being there, of donating time to friends in need. That’s giving. That speaks.

It was a lesson I needed to hear. Love languages work two ways—giving and receiving. Perhaps what these girls—including my daughter—give the best is also what they need to receive more from me.

I only have five more weeks of classes with them. And I have so many lessons yet to learn.

I must trust Jesus to give me all I need to give to and receive from them. His loving presence is among us; may I take advantage of every opportunity.

* * *

Do you know what your love language is?

A special hello to my
new group friends at Soli Deo Gloria—
Kim, Jenifer, Carolyn, and Barbara!

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roelliott 38p · 676 weeks ago

Don’t take advantage of people. Take advantage of opportunities. To love. love this...amen.
My recent post Paint A Beautiful Story

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 676 weeks ago

I want to be more aware of opportunities I have to love. It's what it's all about...
My recent post How to take advantage

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barbarah 65p · 676 weeks ago

It's funny, I've read that passage for years but never put those verses together even though they are right next to each other. What a contrast of her giving even though she had little versus their taking even though they had much.

I didn't realize this class only went for a few weeks. Will you be teaching them again? I think this has been a great for you, and I trust for them as well.

Though I can perceive love through all of the languages, my primary one of acts of service. When someone just jumps in and does something unasked is when I feel the most cared for.
My recent post Book Review: Grace For the Good Girl

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 676 weeks ago

Our girls' class has only been for January through May. It's been short, but rich. Yes, it has been very good for me indeed, and I pray the girls have been prodded into new ways of thinking about and loving Jesus too.

Acts of service is my second highest language, especially when it's from my husband. :-) It's easier to accept those kinds of gifts from him than from other people.
My recent post How to take advantage

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Sylvia R · 676 weeks ago

Thought provoking. And pushing me to the text to read, tie together. I like that! This passage can stir lots of thoughts. I often wondered how aware the widow was of the scribes' greedy hypocrisy, and if she knew, would she still have given? If so, I think yes. Like Hannah. Giving to God, in faith. But I'd love to know the rest of this woman's story...
My recent post Showers of Blessings

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 676 weeks ago

I'd love to know the rest of her story too! She appears and disappears in just a few verses, yet this story lives on for thousands of years. Amazing.

My recent post How to take advantage

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fsamons 60p · 676 weeks ago

It's fascinating how much we learn by teaching... I think a truly wise person looks to learn in every aspect of their lives. Good for you and the girls.

My language is the typical man thing, the respect, recognized thing. I too need to be a better listener.
My recent post WHO I AM

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 676 weeks ago

"They" say that the teacher always learns the most. Maybe I should teach more often? :-)

Your "respect" thing reminds me of how helpful the "Love and Respect" seminar and book was to me. I learned a lot about my husband and men in general in such a short amount of time. I may not always use it, but at least I was exposed to it. Maybe I need to teach it so I'll learn it better? ha. I have tried passing it on to my own daughters.

We probably ALL need to be better listeners. I wonder what it was like back in the day to sit down with Jesus and have a conversation...
My recent post How to take advantage

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dukeslee 37p · 676 weeks ago

I think my love language is "words of affirmation." In saying that out loud here, it makes me feel a little needy -- like I need people to say nice things to buoy my spirits. :) ... On the positive side, I do think that God has given me eyes to see people who really do need encouragement and words of affirmation ... to see people who perhaps don't hear often enough how they are loved.

My recent post The Best Way to Destroy a Story

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 676 weeks ago

Words of affirmation is my top language too, Jennifer. And yeah, maybe it does make us sound a little needy. ha. But it really ministers to me to know what others are thinking (well, especially the good parts). And it prompts me to be more liberal myself with praise for others. I can't see how anybody wouldn't appreciate a word of affirmation now and again. :-)
My recent post How to take advantage

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lauraboggess 49p · 676 weeks ago

How blessed those girls are to have you as their teacher, Lisa. It is very evident in your words how much you love them. And I love this new way of looking at the Widow too. I think you might be on to something there. Isn't Jesus always linking his stories together to teach? Very interesting. Pondering that.
My recent post Playdates with God: the Long Drive

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

Thank you, Laura. I do love these girls.

I wonder how many more stories I need to integrate with surrounding verses... Always something new in the Word!
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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jenfergie2000 33p · 676 weeks ago

I've never thought about the widow's mite in this light. What astounding revelation He has given you. And I love how you lament that you ONLY have 5 more weeks with these girls because of what you have to learn.
My recent post Irrational Thoughts, Small Groups, and the Soli Deo Gloria Party

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

Well, I actually didn't even realize I said "only" 5 more weeks, but that encourages me. ha. There are times I've thought...5 more weeks??? But I definitely have enjoyed it and learned a lot.
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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glendachilders 46p · 676 weeks ago

What a joy to teach young women. Thanks for doing it.
My recent post Fun with my sister Sue and a giveaway

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

They are a joy to teach. I've been blessed!
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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pathoftreasure 18p · 676 weeks ago

I'm going to look into that book and quiz you mention on the Five Love Languages for Teens. I've read The Five Love Languages, but not the one for teens or heard of the quiz. Thanks for sharing the resource.

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

I was happy to find the free quiz online. Always nice to have those resources easily available just when we need them. Hope you find them helpful, too.
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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beverleyhirst63 50p · 675 weeks ago

I taught a similar lesson this week but to adults and i think God just reminded me of one point that i missed, 'why does God give us everything?' because he loves us of cause and why should we share what we have? because we are showing that love to others. Thank for the reminder.
My recent post Banana Sandwhich

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

Great lesson you taught, Beverley. God gives to us out of love; we should do the same. Thanks for blessing me with that.
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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bicroce 44p · 675 weeks ago

I love that you wrote that you have so many more lessons to learn... how perfect. We learn as we give, we are changed as we concentrate on others. We let go of what is in our hands and He gives us what is in His... thanks, Lisa, for your encouraging words today!
Your SDG small group buddy Barbara

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

Thanks for these words, Barbara. That's a blog post in itself! There's so much I have left to learn about letting go of ME...I know to do it, but it's the actual doing it that is hard.
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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Lynn Severance · 675 weeks ago

Lisa, I love the story of the widow's mite - her giving out of her abunance even when it seemed so little compared to others. I think that is one of the lessons - that we give even when we feel we have little to give or we feel exhausted from what we have given.

It flowsi into the Love Languages as I feel it is important to know what "fills us up" so that we can give from our abundance.
My "language" is "words of affirmation". It is followed closely with "physical touch". It would be interesting to know if our love languages ( what we need most ) is also what we were gifted to give most. I don't remember Chapman addressing this in his book but it has been years since I read it. My sense is that he was pointing out how important it was to know others' love languages so we could understand them and relate to them by giving in that area.

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 675 weeks ago

I've wondered that too, if Chapman has addressed the reverse. My hunch is that how we like to receive is also how we like to give. That's the angle I took with the girls anyway. :-)

I also wonder if our love languages rub off on each other. Or at least change through the years. I think mine has adjusted some. Maybe it depends on our season of life?

But "words of affirmation" has been my #1 as long as I can remember, which is unfortunate for Jeff because it's among the lowest in his score. Oh well. ;-) We often have to stretch to love.
My recent post What’s on your nightstand?—April ‘12

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