Part 2
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Jesus knew this poor widow had no property and no close family to take care of her. Therefore, since it was something He did often, I believe Jesus motioned for one of His disciples to follow after her and quietly give her a handful of silver coins.
Consider what this poor widow shows us.
4. Her two mites prove no gift is too small, and no gift is too large.
First, she shows us that no gift is too small. Her two little coins couldn’t even buy the smallest bird to sacrifice or eat. How in the world could her miniscule donation make any difference? To Jesus, it made all the difference in the world. That small donation proved that this poor widow was fully and wholly dedicated to the Lord her God. Her love, trust, and sheer bravery move me. And, it clearly moved Jesus, who honors her here and in Luke 21:1-4.
Second, she shows us that no gift is too large. Jesus tells us that she put in more than all the other contributors. She put in all she had to live on. Now of course she could do this because she wasn’t obligated to care for anyone else. Scripture teaches that our obligation to care for our family’s real needs supersedes any gift we desire to give. Giving isn’t a way to shirk our God-given responsibilities at home.
Then again, imagine you have only $80 left to pay $800 of bills. Or imagine getting so low you have only two pennies to your name. What’s the only thing a wholehearted lover of God can do? Yes, put it in the offering. Give it all. Don’t hold anything back. And then don’t be one bit surprised when God blesses you with a handful of silver coins. And, don’t be one bit surprised when God blesses you with an anonymous gift of $810. Not $800, but $810, because God remembered you also needed some gas money.
Yes, the Lord’s providential work, and His answers to our specific prayers, do something wonderful. They increase our love, faith and trust in Him. How sad, though, when personal interests, wants, and desires end up squeezing someone’s tithes, gifts, and offerings to a trickle.
How easily we ignore this marvelous truth: Everything—everything—you and I desire, want, and need is found in the Lord, and through the Lord alone. Why would we look anywhere else? You can be sure this marvelous truth had grabbed hold of the poor widow’s heart. As a result, she gave all she had.
Recently I met a couple who have increased their monthly giving by 20 percent. I was introduced to another couple who have doubled their church giving this year. Yet another couple, when doing their taxes earlier this year, realized they had given away the equivalent of the wife’s entire annual salary to their church and missionaries. She quipped, “Why in the world did I land such a demanding job?” Yet God has richly blessed them!
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus tells us: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The apostle Paul unpacks it in 2 Corinthians 8, especially verse 5: Generous giving is the outflow of all who give themselves “first of all to the Lord.”
Every morning I tell God: Today I want to love You wholeheartedly! And today I want to love others well. May I experience, and overflow with, Your love today.
How is your heart? Filled with love for God and others? Overflowing in giving? I hope so!
David Sanford
