Good morning. We read this account in Mark 12:41-44 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
We don’t often read of anyone who catches the Lord’s attention in such a remarkable and positive way, but this poor woman did so. We can imagine the Lord with His disciples sitting where they could see the temple offerings as they were given. He would have seen the Pharisees give their offerings with great shouts of acclaim. Not by themselves, no that wouldn’t have been appropriate. Instead, they would hire a few commoners who looked like they wanted to earn a coin or two to follow them to the offering box. Then they would have those persons loudly shout with great zeal about how remarkable and amazing the Pharisee’s offering would have been. The Pharisee would turn toward the people, lift his face toward the heavens, and offer a loud prayer about “what an honor it was to be so faithful and to be able to give such a great gift to the temple of God.” This went on throughout the day as Pharisees and other persons of wealth would make a show of their “gifts” to God.
Then a poor widow made her way through the people and approached the offering box. Let your mind see the scene as it unfolds. She doesn’t look to the right or to the left, for she has no concern for acclaim or to be noticed in any way. She is motivated solely by faith. She believes that when she is faithful to God she will be blessed. But consider what the Lord had to say about her.
Jesus “called His disciples to Him.” Whatever else they were doing, He shouted to them to gather ‘round, because He had something important to say. Jesus wants them to know that while others give from their excess, she has given of what very little she has. In fact, Jesus says that what she has given was all she had to live on. That is truly remarkable.
Who was she? We don’t know. Jesus gathers His disciples to make a point about her faithfulness, but He doesn’t call out to her to join them. Jesus respects that her gift to God is a private matter, but in seeing it He is amazed and knows that she has provided an example of faithfulness that His disciples needed to recognize.
For months now I have been using the Thursday edition of our “thought for the day” to focus on characters from the Bible. In this case, hers is a character of whom we know very little. What follows is complete speculation, but it helps me to “see” her in my mind’s eye.
She is aged, walking with the help of a stick as she made her way through the people to approach the offering box. Her clothes are clean, but very simple and very worn. She is a widow, which is easy to see by the headdress she is now required to wear in public. Whether she has more coins in her purse is unknown to any but Jesus because she made no show of turning it over and emptying it as she made her offering. But Jesus knew. She made her offering, and she continued on her way. Did she wish that she could give more? Perhaps. Did she worry that she would now have to go without food? Perhaps, but I doubt it. It seems more likely that she has willingly placed such concerns in the arms of the Lord. She will most likely return to her home after her time of worship. What did it look like? It probably would have been extremely small, but clean and ordered. As she walked home did her stomach rumble from hunger? I don’t know, but I hope not. I hope that God’s blessing would have come to her quickly. When she next found herself with a couple of small coins would she repeat her gift? Again, I can’t say for sure, but I think that she probably would. Why? Because her gift is a reflection of who she is; of her faith; of her trust. It is as natural for her as the breaths she takes as she makes her way home.
Did His disciples learn something? Yes. I say this because both Mark and Matthew tell us of the event and that seems unlikely unless it had made an impact.
What do we learn from this woman? That is something I cannot say for anyone but myself. Is my faith that strong? Is my trust that the Lord will bless His faithful ones so complete that I am willing to act in such a way? I have to answer that within my own heart, as do you.
Live faithfully today!
Vern