All She Had

23rd Sunday after Pentecost

She put in everything she had, all she had to live on - Mark 12:44

Imagine putting everything you own in an offering plate! For many of us, the offering plate would have to be fairly substantial: large enough to hold homes, stocks, investments, electronic devices, furniture, cars, boats, all kinds of other "toys." Others of us might not need such a large plate, but still we would likely have something to give: perhaps a home, perhaps a car, perhaps food off a shelf, perhaps some treasured possession.

Jesus watched acts of stewardship - he watched as a whole crowd put "money into the treasury" (Mark 12:41). He watched as one rich person after another placed their gifts into the plate, as it were. These were no small amounts of money! Still, Jesus was not impressed with their giving. It was the impoverished widow who drew his attention.

The widow gave a pittance - not enough to bolster the temple budget by any stretch of the imagination. She gave only "two copper coins" worth a penny; hardly enough either to feed a hungry person or provide for temple worship needs.

But Jesus praised her, not the wealthy givers. "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she ... put in everything she had" (Mark 12:43-44).

Some have asked if the widow was responsible, in giving her gift. Without any money left for her own needs, she was entirely dependent on others. But that, perhaps, is the point. Her heart was large - large enough to trust God with all she was, all she had.

Her act of faith challenges future believers: do our gifts reflect our total dependence on God? Do we give gifts of whatever size because it is the right, perfunctory thing to do? Or are our gifts about utter trust in God's desire to provide for us?