Widow's Mite

My Dad loved to tell the story of his mother having faith. He was about 12 when the offering plate was passed and his mother put in the only money in her wallet. My dad knew that was all that they had. She was a single mother of five, three at home. He was trying to stop her from putting the money in. He said he was whispering to her not to do it because that was all of the money. She told him they would be fine. He said he did not get much out of the sermon that day because he just worried about the money. When they got home from church there was a bag of groceries by their front door. Dad may not have gotten much out of the sermon that day but the lesson God taught him that day lasted 70 years!

That story has always been special to me because that grandmother had unshakeable faith. As I have said before, I believe that treasure was handed down to my Dad and from my Dad to me. When I was in the Holy Land I bought a widows mite and had a necklace made. It reminds me of my grandmother and of faith!

Luke 21: 1-4, "And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, 'Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.'"

Usually in church the big givers get a lot of attention. But Jesus does things differently. He is not impressed by how much you have or your social status. He always goes to the "least of these." Most people do not pay attention to the poverty stricken person who puts a tiny bit in the offering plate. But Jesus looks at the heart. He knew she gave the most out of her devotion to God!

Jesus sees the humble gift. Her 2 mites were only worth a penny. The rich were giving a lot but they still had their fortunes. It was a true sacrifice because the widow gave everything she had. She had a heart to give and she gave in faith.

Matthew 6: 25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

2 Corinthians 9: 7 "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Todd Mullins said, "Tithing isn't about God needing your money, it's about Him needing first place in your life."