Sacrificial giving

'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.'  

                                                                                    Mark 12:41-44  CSB

Jesus sat opposite the collection boxes observing the people placing their money into them for support for the temple. Many loved the ritual of giving large amounts and making a show of it all. But, just then, a widow came and put in two mites. 

Now a mite, was the smallest coin to be found; it was made of very thin copper and had a value under a penny. The Greek interpretation of this coin was Lepta or Lepton which means 'the thin one.' 

Jesus stated that this widow had given far more than the Pharisees and other dignitaries had given. They had given out of their vast wealth and still had plenty left to enjoy. She had given all she had and was left with nothing. It was a sacrificial gift. 

Real giving must be sacrificial; William Barclay said, 'Give until it hurts - this is true generosity'. It must be noted that there are many people who won't give anything at all unless, they are certain that they will receive something back in return. This widow could have held one of the coins back, they were hers anyway and proportionally she was giving more than the others were. But she didn't. How often do we hold things back - things that we know God wants us to let go of, or stop doing but we don't?

The collection boxes - 13 in all, were called 'Trumpets' because of their shape. The contributions were used for the cost of temple sacrifices and general expenses. The shape and description of the boxes - 'Trumpets', were aptly named, because many had demonstrated their love of 'blowing their own trumpets', with the amount that they gave.

It is interesting to note the widow's faith in God. She had nothing but, she knew God well enough to know He would take care of her every need. She didn't give to receive man's praise - she couldn't, the gift was so small. However, to God, it was worth more than the others had given. She had given everything, a sacrificial gift. When we give like this, from our heart, Jesus takes notice.

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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