The Widow's Offering

Read Proverbs 31:1-9

Read Mark 12

When Mark writes of Jesus praising the widow's offering, he carefully places this text after Jesus' condemnation of the hypocritical, showy actions of the scribes. The two accounts are very much related. God can see the heart. Humans can be fooled by externals, but God sees right through.

The scribes have a holy look - long prayers (which are just for show, not true prayers of the heart), long robes, greetings and honors of all kinds. But Jesus sees a corrupt heart. They take advantage of poor widows. They seek their own honor and praise rather than desiring to honor God with their lives.

But the widow: she is an example to us all. Her heart is true and devoted. She trusts not in earthly possessions. She is a careful steward of what God has given her. She doesn't have many material things to manage, just two little coins. What difference could those coins make in the Kingdom of God? An enormous difference. God is not so much concerned about the amount, but the attitude, the joyful, giving heart. God is not impressed by a show, but by a humble, trusting faith. This woman, who was faithful with a little, will be given much. She understood the loving nature of God. And this woman who trusted her God was able to keep on this occasion the first and greatest commandment, which we hear today (v. 30): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

So, more than being a good steward, this widow is an example of Godly love. It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13. So what if we surrender our body to flames!? If we have not love, we gain nothing by it. So what if we have knowledge to understand mysteries, and the ability to speak in tongues of men and angels!? If we have not love, we are nothing - just noise like a clanging cymbal.

But the widow, a sinner also made a saint by our loving God, shows great love.

And we sinners are made saints by our loving God who sent his Son into the world to perfectly love his Father and to love his neighbor and give himself up for us on the cross. Yes, Jesus forgives our unloving actions and gives us new hearts, the very heart of God, so that we may love the Lord and love one another.

Then this love will lead us to do all sorts of kind and selfless things. It will affect how we manage every part of our life - even our smallest coins.

May the Spirit of God continue to teach us to love!

Ask Yourself:

How can I show my love for God today?

How can I show my love for others today?

Pray:

Jesus, Thy boundless love to me
No thought can reach, no tongue declare;
Unite my thankful heart to Thee,
And reign without a rival there!
Thine wholly, Thine alone I am;
Be Thou alone my constant flame.

O grant that nothing in my soul
May dwell, but Thy pure love alone;
Oh, may Thy love possess me whole,
My joy, my treasure, and my crown!
All coldness from my heart remove;
My ev'ry act, word, thought be love.

This love unwearied I pursue
And dauntlessly to Thee aspire.
Oh, my Thy love my hope renew,
Burn in my soul like heav'nly fire!
And day and night, be all my care
To guard this sacred treasure there.

(LSB 683:1-3, Public Domain)

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!