They gave out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty, put in everything
- all she had to live on. Mark 12:44
Jesus was sitting in the Temple courts opposite where the offerings were
to be deposited. This was the Women’s Court - where all Jews could go. An open area, a
place to meet, sit, converse, and bring your offerings.
I love that Jesus spent time in this courtyard. He went there often and many times to teach. He was usually surrounded by His disciples and/or a crowd. He was in His Father's house, completely comfortable, desiring to teach others of His Father.
This time He noticed a grandma. We all have little grandmas that are the epitome of grace, humility and service. Yes, some of us may not, but generally we have a grandma in our family tree who is the prayer warrior, the grace-filled, sweet blue-haired woman.
Picture this one: stooped over, walking slowly, but determined, smells of
spices and the garden, seemingly fragile but not. She walks up to the offering box -
which were set up in the courtyard at various places with a trumpet-like
funnel to deposit the offerings in. With a humble yet straightforward look,
she goes to the box and softly drops in her 2 small coins. Two mites. Two
coins that made a farthing, a very small amount.
Others were dropping in their offerings. Loudly. That’s how the Pharisees
did it - they even hired trumpeters to play before the offerings were lavishly
dropped in. All show. All pomp. No humility.
Whom does Jesus notice? The widow. The one who came in the
courtyard, silently, with her eyes on one thing. To give to her LORD. He
had done so much for her - in her widowhood, He was her husband. In
her poverty, He was her daily Bread. In her home, He was her Living Water.
Out of this abundance of grace, she put in all she had. Why? Love. Pure
and simple. Her thankfulness spilled out into sacrifice.
And Jesus noticed. Commented. And it’s recorded for all generations to
see.
What mite do you have to give? What do I have to give? Will we give with pomp and exclamations of greatness? Or in humility and quietness?
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15 NIV
I desire quietness, strength, salvation, rest and seek repentance. By not choosing these, I fall into the camp of wanting nothing to do with them, with Jesus (try inserting His name in those nouns and see Who really is all these and more for us). Seeking Jesus and giving back to Him is the key to sacrifice and giving of ourselves.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of humility, and for seeing this
humble woman we can identify with. Thank You for the narrow path we can walk on and give to You all we have. You are worthy of everything. May we not hold back. AMEN.
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