What else can we call it? The people in today’s readings--real-life people, by the way--are being called to be generous, not in their affluence, but in their poverty. They’re being asked to share, not their leftovers; not what they have to spare. They’re being asked to share everything they have. Everything.

And, wonder of wonders, they do! They share what they have--everything they have--trusting in God “from whom all blessings flow.”

When this sermon is over we’ll sing the hymn, “Take my Life that I may Be.” We’ll sing, “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold ...” We’ll sing, “Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.”

We’ll be singing those sentiments. But in our readings today we read about--and are now going to talk about--two people who were called upon to actually do it! They withheld nothing. They shared, not what they could spare--not what they could afford--but everything they had. My Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store!

What else can you call that except “brave faith”? And do you know what? I believe God is calling us through these stories to that very same brave faith right here and right now!

Elijah has run far away from home. And, frankly, he’s got no one to blame but himself.

You see, Elijah got into an argument with the King of Israel. Elijah didn’t think the King was being faithful to the LORD God. Elijah felt the King was fooling around with Baal, the God of the Canaanites; the storm God! So, in a fit of pique, Elijah issued a dangerous challenge: unless Israel’s king changes his ways and acknowledges the LORD as the one true God, there will be no more rain. Nada. Zilch! (That’ll show the King who the true Storm God is!)

And then Elijah runs away. Now, there are two reasons why Elijah runs away. First, the King of Israel wants to kill him. But, secondly, because Elijah is so confident that the LORD God will grant his prayer and stop all rain in Israel, Elijah is also running away to a deserted place where he knows a well will keep him supplied with water during the drought.

And it does until it, too, runs dry! And so, as today’s reading opens, Elijah is on his way yet further north to Zaraphath, in what we would now call Lebanon.

The LORD God has told Elijah that he’ll find a widow there--a pagan--who will feed him. So maybe that’s why Elijah has the audacity--the chutzpah--to dare to say to the woman--in the midst of a widespread drought--”Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink. ... And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”

She’s got nothing! “I swear, as surely as your GOD lives,” she says, “I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.”

Talk about audacity! Talk about chutzpah! Listen to what Elijah says next! In the midst of a widespread drought--where no food is growing and what little food is left is being devoured--listen to what Elijah--who has never met this woman before--says to her.

Elijah says, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. [Meaning, go ahead and scratch together just enough firewood to take your last handful of flour and a little oil to make the very last meal for yourself and your son.] But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son.”

Does Elijah make it any better or easier by saying, “This is the word of the GOD of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before GOD sends rain on the land and ends this drought’”?

In the ancient world, being a widow meant that, unless someone in your clan came to your aide and defense, you had nothing and nowhere to turn. Everything--from the home you lived in to the crops and animals that fed you--belonged to your husband. Upon his death--unless someone came to your aide--everything--everything!--reverted back to his family.

This widow had nothing except one handful of flour and a little oil. “I swear, as surely as your GOD lives ...,” she says, “after we eat it, we’ll die.”

“Don’t worry about a thing,” Elijah retorts. “First make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. ... The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before GOD sends rain on the land and ends this drought.”

“And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked,” scripture says.

“Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold ... Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.”

What else can we call that but “brave faith”? Granted, we know something that this poor widow couldn’t, namely that everything worked out just as Elijah had said. Scripture reports, “it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty: GOD’S promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!”

But, what if--like her--you don’t know how it will turn out? What if you’re being challenged to trust in God and share, not knowing what will happen? What else can we call that but brave faith?

Sitting across from the Temple treasury, Jesus sees a widow--again, someone in that world with nothing and nowhere else to turn--give her last penny as an offering to God. After then watching others contribute much more than she, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those ... For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Brave faith! “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold ... Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.”

Three weeks from today we’ll be asked to make our pledges--our financial commitments--for the coming year. Do I need to remind any of us that we’re living in financially difficult times?

If only stewardship were about figuring out how much we can afford to contribute to the church! That would be relatively painless and easy. “Let’s see, this year we’re giving this much. Next year we can afford to give that much.” Over and done!

But it isn’t about that, is it? Stewardship is about trusting the God “from whom all blessings flow.” It’s about sharing out of conviction rather than convenience. What else can we call it? It’s about brave faith!

Do you remember that commercial from years ago? “Try it, you’ll like it!” In all sincerity, that’s my challenge to you--and me, too!--about brave faith.

Try it! Find opportunities every day to consciously and deliberately place your trust in God, rather than yourself. Look for opportunities to be generous. Dare yourself to share, not simply out of your abundance, but out of what you have.

Try it! You’ll like it! God is challenging you to put your words into action. “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold ... Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.”

In Jesus’ name. Amen!