Lessons From a Poor Widow

Luke describes for us an interesting scene from Jesus’ perspective. Jesus was watching as the rich and influential deposited their money into the brass chests at the temple. Some of the offerings were no doubt impressive with more than one person carrying them because they were so heavy. You could hear the loud noise as the heavy coins hit the bottom of the brass chests shaped like trumpets. It may have been impressionable for those watching, but it wasn’t for Jesus because he saw their hearts. Luke says that, “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury, but he also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.” Jesus’ conclusion about the widow’s offering is absolutely amazing. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:1-4).

Jesus said that she had put in more than all the others combined but not because her offering was more money. In fact, it was worth less than a penny. It was more because she brought her offering to God, not to men. It was more because it was all that she had. It was more because she gave it to God out of love.

Motive does matter to the Lord. The motive doesn’t matter to the electric company. They just want you to pay your bill on time. The motive, however, does matter to the Lord. Her offering, though small, cost her and therefore was meaningful to God. King David refused to make a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing. The amount means nothing to God, but the heart means everything. With God, less is more. Little does not mean the same thing to God as it does to us. A little boy’s lunch is enough to feed thousands to God. Miraculously, a handful of flour and a little oil was enough to sustain the widow’s household in Elijah’s day. As it was in Elisha’s day when God used the widows’ few drops of oil to fill all the vessels in her house and pay her debts.  

Giving is part of our sincere worship. I remember when we started the Argentine Missions Department in the 1980’s. We started taking offerings from some very poor congregations to send as missions offerings. I explained to the people that it was a biblical principle not a question of amount. I remember one woman in particular, whose name was Juanita, who wanted to give but didn’t have anything to give. Then God spoke to her to not buy bell peppers and instead save that money. She did, and God used her offering in the same way he did the widows’ two mites.