Mark 12:38-44
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
41 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. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
“But First...Out Of Need”
The story of the poor widow reminds us that we are called to live and give beyond our means. We can give even out of our needs and all will be well.
Fear of not having enough makes it hard for us to hear and believe that giving is so important. We should do it even when we can’t afford to do it. It is the greatest joy in life, whether we have little or much. To give much because we have been given much, we have been loved much.
She was in the hospital, dying. She had lived a simple life; devout wife, faithful church worker, loyal friend. She hadn’t asked for much and she was happy with what she had.
I stopped to see her and she asked me to get her purse out of the closet. She opened it and gave me some bills. Later I discovered that it was over $400, probably close to all she had.
Then I remembered the look of joy in her eye as she gave me the money and said use it in the church. When she died all she had was auctioned off and added to this as a memorial to spread God’s love in our lives. It wasn’t much but it was all she had. And it was given with joy! Myrtle gave much! She loved Jesus much! She loved people much!
She joined company with poor widow in our text for today.
“Try It...You’ll Like It”
This text should disturb us. It confronts us with giving which comes out of need.
The truth is that what was happening in her and to her by giving her last 2 pennies was greater then anything she could have purchased with them. They were expressive of her faith, trust, gratitude and there in, her dignity.
A dignity no amount of money could buy!
We need to give. It is basic to our humanity. We are not happy only to receive; in fact it is more a blessing to us to give then to receive. We also need to be open to receive.
There is a ministry of receiving as well as giving. Jesus let the woman put in her last 2 pennies and he received them with praise.
We need to give before we can afford to give, not only when we can afford to give.
We need to give out of our necessities not just out of our surplus.
Giving is a gift to be enjoyed.
Giving is a gift which enriches our lives.
Try it...you’ll like it!
A different way of seeing the widow’s mite.
Tracy Hartman, in New Proclamation, Year B 2012 challenges us to see this story in a different, and I would suggest deeper way.
He suggests that the main point of the story is not money, but Jesus impending “giving of his all”.
I quote: “How long would it be before they realize that the widow’s gift of all she had was an example of what Jesus was about to do, give everything he had to redeem a world gone terribly awry? How long would it be before the disciples realized that following Jesus would mean that they, too, were being asked to give their all as well? How long will it be before we, too, understand?
A thought worth pondering!
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