DAY 14: One person’s small gift is everything they have

Reading: Mark 12:41-44
‘but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on.’
v44


Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Size matters? Well no, it was not the size of the gift that was noted.
It was the totality of it. The widow gave everything she had. We will
often hear in church circles of the ‘widow’s mite’ meaning someone
who might be on a low income and can only afford to give a few
pounds. But Jesus was looking at the whole gift. If you read the
preceding paragraph it condemns the Pharisees who had seized the
houses belonging to widows. Avarice meant they had neglected the
principle of caring for the widow.
In this story, as the rich very openly and pointedly gave ostentatious
gifts, the widow sneaked in and put in two small coins. To the grand
scheme of collections in the Temple treasury it would have meant
little. But to God, who saw the heart of the giver, He recognised the
generosity of spirit that inspired her to contribute her last two coins.
God honours both the gift and the giver. He measures not what we
give but what we retain.

For Further Reading: 1 Kings 17:7-24 - the widow gave beyond her means which
resulted in blessing.
To Ponder: When you have read this story, how often have you focused
on the size of the gift instead of the heart of the gift? If you
were in a similar situation would you be able to offer your last
penny?
To Pray: Lord Jesus, who looks at the heart of the giver, inspire me to
be ready to give my all. Amen.

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