#DailyDevotion Are You As Confident Of The Lord’s Promise As This Widow?
Mark 12:41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
As Jesus commends this poor widow to us who gives everything she has, two small coins, you might wonder if she is one of those widows whose homes the scribes had devoured. Why wouldn’t they, the scribes get a greater condemnation? They knew the law. The law commands that Israelites take care of the widow, the orphan and the foreigner in their distress. The law command a third year tithe be gathered so that the priest, the widow, the orphan and foreigner in their midst could be taken care of. The law commanded the farmers not to glean their fields and trees so that widows and the like would be taken care of. Yet if this poor widow only has two mites to her name it seems as if someone has dropped the ball. Instead of devouring widows homes the scribes should have been everything they could to see that they kept their homes.
But back to the widow. Jesus commends the widow for giving everything she had to live on to God. How could the widow do such a thing? Israelites were commanded to give tithes, firstfruits and given the opportunity to more out of thankfulness all the Lord had done for them. No doubt those who contributed much to the treasury had plenty to spare and were thankful for all the Lord had given them. How do you tithe two mites? What first fruits is there is two mites? If you only have two mites to live on are you giving them to the Lord in thankfulness because at least you had two mites? Her giving wasn’t ten percent or first fruit giving but 100% giving.
How could she do that? Hope. She had hope in the promises of God. The Lord God had given commands, laws, and the like that commanded his people to take care of people just like this widow. She was casting herself on the mercy of God that the Lord would provide for her as he has promised in the Torah. She was trusting the Lord to move his holy people to do what the law required and pay their tithes, firstfruits, thank offerings and the like and to distribute them equitably. She apparently in this hope and trust was not anxious for tomorrow. She knew who her Lord and God was.
Are you anxious about money? Do you fear tomorrow? This widow also had another promise that you have too. It is written, Heb 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” A promise from Deut. 31:6, 8, Josh. 1:5, 1 Sam. 12:22, and Ps. 37:25, 28 it applies to you who trust in your Lord Jesus Christ and will sustain when the days seem dark.
Heavenly Father, you promise us you will never leave us or forsake us. Grant us the faith of the poor widow that we too may act in boldness and confidence of your promises in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.