Bible Reading: Mark 12:38-44
Key Verse: Verse 41 – “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.”
Key Words: how the people cast money into the treasury
Jesus also saw people’s motives in giving. He beheld how the people gave (12:41). See that little word how. He was not so interested in what they gave as in how they gave. He was seeing some things that nobody else could see. He was looking at the motives of their hearts. He was concerned about why this widow did what she did. Jesus is concerned about why you do what you do.
In verses 43 and 44, we see three things Jesus said.
First, he talked about her liberality in verse 43. Jesus called his disciples to him and pointed that widow out. He wanted them to perceive the liberality of her gift. “This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.” On human scales that was not true, but God weighs things on another set of scales. Furthermore, millions of dollars have been given because of this woman’s example. Jesus noted the liberality of her gift.
Then he talked about her sacrificiality in verse 44a, “They did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in.” They gave out of their plenty; she gave out of her poverty. For her it was a sacrifice to give. When she gave those two mites, she gave everything she had. She didn’t have anything left. She gave sacrificially. What is important in the matter of giving is not how much you give but how much you have left.
Then he talked about the totality of her gift in verse 44b. Jesus said, “She has given ‘even all her living.’” She had not one thin penny to buy bread for the next day.
Those other people had plenty to fall back on. They had plenty for a rainy day. She didn’t have one thing. She cast herself totally on the mercy and faithfulness of God.
This Jesus, who complimented the widow for giving her all literally, gave His all on Calvary’s cross for us. The question is: What will we give?
Dr. Mike Rouse
What to do:
✞ We all can give, even the poor.
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