Unlimited: The Widow’s Offering

Jun 22, 2024 3005

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” (Mark 12:41–44, NIV).

Jesus was in the temple. One of the important things that happened in the temple is that people brought their offerings to God there.

This gave Jesus the opportunity to teach an important lesson about giving to God.

We don’t like talking about money, but this didn’t bother Jesus at all.

Jesus spoke about money more than he did even about faith or about prayer, in fact by a ratio on over four to one. One out of every ten verses in the Gospel deals with money.

That’s because Jesus knew that what you do with your money is one of the clearest indicators of the state of your heart.

And that’s why he was sitting watching the people give their offerings. Jesus cares deeply about what you do with your money.

There’s another lesson here too. Jesus valued the widow’s small, single coin much more than the large sums the rich people put in. This tells you that Jesus measures your giving not by how much you give, but by how much is left in your wallet or purse.

Giving is so important, that it’s a key concept, right at the heart of the Gospel. “For God so loved the world, that he gave…”

We have salvation because God was unselfish and gave. We show that we have understood the Gospel when we also give. Real giving – sacrificial giving – helps to break down the selfishness that is at the heart of our sin problem, which separates us from God.

The Gospel cannot be shared unless people, in some way or another, give.

– Eliezer Gonzalez

Eli’s Reflection: What have you given lately? How can you give more?

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