Two Mites - Is that all? No. It is everything.
Most biblical scholars agree that Jesus had a busy day on the Tuesday of Holy Week. He taught on faith as he pointed out the withered fig tree, he spoke at length with the Pharisees at the temple, and he wound up the day speaking with the disciples about the end times before heading off to Bethany.
Easily missed among the day's events is a small incident at the Temple, but it may be exactly the challenging and encouraging words we need to hear today.
Now during Passover Week, great multitudes flooded into Jerusalem - possibly as many as three million people gathering there during the seven days of the feast. There was a particular treasury in the court of women, where thousands of women could congregate.
Well, Jesus sat down to observe. See how people give and you will see far into their hearts and lives. How and for what we spend our money is a revealing test of character.
"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd..." - Mark 12:41
It isn’t difficult to see the crowd passing before the Savior’s eyes. Human nature was the same then as now. The Master noted those with flashing, jeweled fingers, haughty, clothed in purple, as they ostentatiously drop their big coins. And then came the widow. Her garb denoted that; its quality showed she was poor. She clutched in her hand two mites, the smallest coins in circulation. The Master beckoned to His disciples, “See, that little woman there, the one in black?”
Can't you just imagine the disciples' protests about the scant offering she gave?
“No, no,” the Master tenderly corrected. “She has given more than all the rest. The others have given of their plenty, she has given her all.” You see, God’s scales are so fine that they weigh not only what we give, but also what is left, and what our heart intends. Two mites? How small? No, it was all.
"Truly...this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.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." - Mark 1243-44
The Lord sits over against the treasury of our lives, as well. It is a staggering moment when we awaken to the near presence of God. Life takes on a majestic dignity if we realize that our least endeavors are witnessed by Him who sits upon the throne. Not just our money, dear ones, but all that we have to invest are important to Him. How do we spend our time, our words, our very lives?
No life becomes real until it becomes sacrificial. We begin to operate with the vital forces of faith when we cross the border into the land of sacrifice.
You and I stand before the treasury of God. What will we give? Each of us as individuals casts into the world’s treasury our little gift. The inventor brings his tools, the author his books, the musician his score, the physician his skill and knowledge, and the minister his sermon and his service. And while the world may fail to note your gift, Heaven never does. What shall we give the Lord? We give ourselves and what we have.
“Moses, what have you?”
“A rod, Lord.”
“Gideon?”
“A pitcher.”
“Joshua?”
“A ram’s horn.”
“David?”
“A shepherd’s sling.”
Oh, give what you have to God. Yes, you say, but it is small. Never mind that. The widow gave two mites and she achieved the approval of the Master. As we contemplate our Savior's sacrifice of death for us, it is an apt time to consider how we live for Him!
Dearest Lord, How humbling it is to realize the depths of sacrifice made on my behalf. How it breaks my heart to think of the agony Jesus endured on the cross, and how it overwhelms my soul to know that He did it willingly - out of love for lost mankind. Help open my eyes to ways I can give freely, joyfully, extravagantly- as You give to me. For the sake of Your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.
For His Glory,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
Most biblical scholars agree that Jesus had a busy day on the Tuesday of Holy Week. He taught on faith as he pointed out the withered fig tree, he spoke at length with the Pharisees at the temple, and he wound up the day speaking with the disciples about the end times before heading off to Bethany.
Easily missed among the day's events is a small incident at the Temple, but it may be exactly the challenging and encouraging words we need to hear today.
Now during Passover Week, great multitudes flooded into Jerusalem - possibly as many as three million people gathering there during the seven days of the feast. There was a particular treasury in the court of women, where thousands of women could congregate.
Well, Jesus sat down to observe. See how people give and you will see far into their hearts and lives. How and for what we spend our money is a revealing test of character.
"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd..." - Mark 12:41
It isn’t difficult to see the crowd passing before the Savior’s eyes. Human nature was the same then as now. The Master noted those with flashing, jeweled fingers, haughty, clothed in purple, as they ostentatiously drop their big coins. And then came the widow. Her garb denoted that; its quality showed she was poor. She clutched in her hand two mites, the smallest coins in circulation. The Master beckoned to His disciples, “See, that little woman there, the one in black?”
Can't you just imagine the disciples' protests about the scant offering she gave?
“No, no,” the Master tenderly corrected. “She has given more than all the rest. The others have given of their plenty, she has given her all.” You see, God’s scales are so fine that they weigh not only what we give, but also what is left, and what our heart intends. Two mites? How small? No, it was all.
"Truly...this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.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." - Mark 1243-44
The Lord sits over against the treasury of our lives, as well. It is a staggering moment when we awaken to the near presence of God. Life takes on a majestic dignity if we realize that our least endeavors are witnessed by Him who sits upon the throne. Not just our money, dear ones, but all that we have to invest are important to Him. How do we spend our time, our words, our very lives?
No life becomes real until it becomes sacrificial. We begin to operate with the vital forces of faith when we cross the border into the land of sacrifice.
You and I stand before the treasury of God. What will we give? Each of us as individuals casts into the world’s treasury our little gift. The inventor brings his tools, the author his books, the musician his score, the physician his skill and knowledge, and the minister his sermon and his service. And while the world may fail to note your gift, Heaven never does. What shall we give the Lord? We give ourselves and what we have.
“Moses, what have you?”
“A rod, Lord.”
“Gideon?”
“A pitcher.”
“Joshua?”
“A ram’s horn.”
“David?”
“A shepherd’s sling.”
Oh, give what you have to God. Yes, you say, but it is small. Never mind that. The widow gave two mites and she achieved the approval of the Master. As we contemplate our Savior's sacrifice of death for us, it is an apt time to consider how we live for Him!
Dearest Lord, How humbling it is to realize the depths of sacrifice made on my behalf. How it breaks my heart to think of the agony Jesus endured on the cross, and how it overwhelms my soul to know that He did it willingly - out of love for lost mankind. Help open my eyes to ways I can give freely, joyfully, extravagantly- as You give to me. For the sake of Your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.
For His Glory,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
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