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.”
Many today would do well to hear the message contained within this passage. In a few words Jesus honors a widow who lived in poverty yet was so very rich in her heart. It begs the question of why someone would give all that they had. I think that those who are poor know what it is like to be in need and how to trust the Lord to meet their need.
The truth is that most of us do not understand this kind of poverty. Most of us who believe in Jesus have been taught to give from our excess. Many religious leaders have led us to believe that God wants a percentage. Yet, from this passage, it seems that God is impressed more in an outrageous gift of a penny than gifts of large sums of money.
Teach me Lord to have the heart of a poor widow. Help me to be outrageous in my giving.
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One of my goals this year is to try and truly know what it means to give sacrificially. I know I have never done that.
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