This Poor Widow
Today’s Verse:
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: ~Luke 21:3
Back in the day, it was very difficult to be a widow. A widow was considered a plight of poverty. With her husband gone, she basically lived in survival mode. She got by with what she could. However, her clothing, frugal lifestyle, and branding by society indicated that her life was hard. Jesus uses a poor widow woman as an example of sacrifice and devotion.
We see this widow woman and her poverty.
She was poor. She lived from hand to mouth. Every morsel that she put in her mouth was precious. She did not know from day to day where her means of sustenance would come from. It was unlikely that she would ever remarry. However, she was blessed because she was poor in spirit. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of God." Her understanding of her plight made her more appreciative of the little things that she had. She had a kingdom perspective and not just an economic perspective of her life. She was a humble and non-assuming person. Instead of being a woman of complaint, she was an example of devotion. She was a woman who was committed to being diligent and responsible. Poverty made her a better person.
We see this widow woman and her participation.
The focus is on her offering. We are told that she cast in her two mites. A mite was the smallest and least significant monetary coin in circulation of that day. It is equivalent to two copper pennies in our day. When money was cast into the treasury, the coins made a sound as they went into a tube-like cylinder made of metal. This sound provided a listener with an idea of how much a person gave. Her offering produced a mere tinkling noise. However, the gifts cast in by the rich men were lavish gifts that consisted of coins that were far greater in value, weight, and sound. Jesus was the One Who paid the most attention to the gifts given that day. This widow woman cast in all her living. She gave all that she had! She is a picture of devoted affection. She is a picture of total commitment. Her participation demonstrated a real passion for God. She approached the offering that day with the decision that she would put it all in. I wonder if this was one of many offerings where she gave her all. Her participation speaks to us about the importance of being completely committed to the Lord.
We see this widow woman and her pattern.
She is a pattern of faith. She did not limit her gift, nor did she limit God. She had faith that God would take care of her. She is a pattern of sacrifice. She "cast in all the living that she had." That is a powerful statement from Jesus. She gave it all! Her sacrifice demonstrated that it was the most important thing for her to do and the greatest expression of her love for Jesus. Jesus gave His life for us. He calls on us to give of our living for Him. She had no strings attached to her gift. It was all for the Lord. She is a pattern of joy. I imagine that this poor woman made this substantial gift with the joy of the Lord in her heart. Great givers are happy people! Great givers have hope for their life.
The poor widow woman causes us to examine our heart and our giving. Are we calculated in our giving, or are we committed in our giving? Are we strategists in our giving, or are we sacrificial in our giving? Meditate today on the giving of this woman, and ask yourself, “How much do I give?”
Have a devoted God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Luke 1