THE WIDOW'S OFFERING

The Lord was with His disciples watching people deposit their offerings into the temple treasury. As they observed the wealthy contribute great sums of money ... a woman arrived with two small coins and cast them into the receptacle.  

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they put in gifts from their abundance; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:3-4)

It's interesting that, just before Christ commented on the widow’s offering, He had warned His followers of the scribes “who devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). They were perfectly content to rob them of their livelihood and inheritance. 

The law of God had been corrupted by the greed of men ... Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

Here was a widow in need of charity and received none ... yet by faith she decided to give all she had to the Lord. Human reasoning would assume that this poor woman was now completely destitute and will likely die of starvation. But that would not be in line with God's nature.

We don’t know the details of her future, but we can be certain that she was provided for ... as was another widow in the Old Testament, who gave her last meal to Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16).

This passage concerning 'the widow's mite' has a much deeper meaning than you might think. It has to do with the entirety of a believer's life, not just his willingness to give money to a ministry. Every heartbeat, every breath, every thought, every word, every deed, and every possession is to be surrendered. 

You are not your own, pilgrim. 

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Today's Christians are like 'the rich' of Jesus' day who appear to be magnanimous to those who are watching ... but it is not total sacrifice. They choose to retain the larger portion of life for themselves and refuse to forfeit 'their will' to 'His will'.