
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
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There’s an intentionality, as always, to Jesus’ activity this day. He sits down opposite the treasury in the temple and watches. Many people come and go. Many offerings are deposited. But Jesus singles out one for the disciples to notice. Here’s what we learn:
· No offering is too small. The size of this poor widow’s contribution is miniscule. She might well have thought to herself, “Why bother? I have so little to give – in the scheme of things it will make no difference at all.” But her offering counts. Little could she have known the impact those two small copper coins would make, reverberating down the centuries since. Indeed, much greater, more long-lasting, than any other gift that day. So, none of us have too little. Each has the possibility of giving lavishly.
· The value of the gift is determined by the Lord. If others had been paying such close attention that day, they certainly would not have singled out the woman’s gift as the weightiest of the lot. All they would have seen, with close inspection, was the relative weight of coin deposited. But the Lord is able to see the gift in the hand and the motive in the heart. He alone sees the whole. The woman, with devotion and commitment, took her little and gave with a full heart. On the Lord’s scale, it weighed heavily.
· Giving is meant to be sacrificial. When it comes off the top of wealth it makes little impact on one’s soul. The gift, large as it may be, is hardly missed. The power of money remains intact. But giving that cuts into the bottom-line, however big or small that line may be, expresses an alternate lordship. The Lord reigns, rather than money. Sacrifice expresses that fact.
· Giving also expresses trust. Trust in the Lord. As she deposited those coins in the treasury that day, the woman was throwing herself wholeheartedly on the Lord’s provision. She had just given him “all she had to live on.” She was relying on the Lord for her own need. We, of course, don’t know her full circumstance. All things being equal, we are called to handle money wisely, caring for our needs and those of our family. But whatever the full story in this case, the woman was radically trusting God. Her story inspires.
· The Lord watches. This is one of the most profound things we discover in this story. Jesus sat to watch. He pays close attention. He values our actions. He values us. He sees it all – the gift, our heart, the sacrifice, our trust. If he collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8), counts every hair on our head (Luke 12:7) and numbers all our days (Psalm 139:16), then it is no surprise he knows our finances and weighs our gifts.
What was the woman’s story subsequently? How did she survive that day? How did faith and life unfold? We don’t know. But I’m certain the Lord does.
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Lord, this day I entrust my own finances to you afresh. Here they are. I lay them out. Show me how you want me to use them. Show me how you want me to give. I trust myself into your care, again.
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Ask:
Reflect on your current practice of giving. Consciously ask the Lord for his direction. Is there some new way he wants you to give? Listen. Watch. Be ready to respond.
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