Tag: Widow

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

The Widow with Two Mites

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, Volume 2/pp89-90

Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4

While there is much we can learn from the story of the widow and her two mites, two things stood out to me the most. First, as gotquestions.org points out, “God sees what man overlooks. The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching. But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow. This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of. The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.”

God sees what man overlooks.

Got questions.org

The widow mentioned by Mark and Luke is used by Christ to teach the disciples the difference of giving from your wealth and giving from your poverty. In other words there is more value in giving two small coins when you have nothing left to give and giving “large sums” with an abundance left over. Borrowing again from gotquestions.org, “The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

“Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.”

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬

 “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43–44; cf. Luke 21:1–4).

The widow with two mites serves as an example of how any sacrifice for Christ does not go unnoticed by Him.

She, Volume 2//90

Friends, let’s ask Jesus to help us see as He sees and to make much of even the smallest things done for or given in His name. May our gifts and works for God be ones of faith and sacrifice, rather than those born of duty or seeking notice.

Reflection and Application

  • What has the widow taught you?

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

The Gospel of Mark: Wk5, Tuesday – Where is Your Faith?

Posted on by

Read: Mark 12:28-44; SOAP: Mark 12:43-44

The Most Important Commandment

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.

37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

38 Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

This woman offered everything she had to the Lord. 

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