THE WIDOW’S MITE
Mark 12:41-44
This is a very interesting story with great lessons concerning offering. Many social Media crusaders have condemned tithes, first fruits and even regular offerings. Among their contentions is that Tithing and even offering have no basis in the New Testament! This is nothing but fallacy. Jesus encouraged tithing, offering and almsgiving. The Apostles also did the same. In seeking understanding of the mystery of offerings, we are going to look into some New Testament teachings, examples and injunction about offering over the next few days
Back to today’s reading, where would you expect the Lord to sit in the temple? Definitely, it should be at the podium or a reserved sit. But Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury! He sat right there by the offering bucket! Doing what? He was watching the people. He saw what they gave. He saw how they gave. He beheld the quality and the quantity of their offering as well as the attitude of the giver.
This tells us that the Lord is interested in your offering. Each time offering is raised in church, Jesus is sitting right there by the offering box and presiding over the affair. Nothing is hidden from him. He is right there watching what you give and weighing it against your heart. It has been said that your offering belongs to the Lord. No wonder Jesus sat where his belonging was being collected!
Another lesson here is that Jesus saw what they gave. The Lord is all seeing. He knows what you are worth and what you should give. He sees into your heart. It is not only about what you give but how you give also matters. The rich must have come flaunting their wealth with their big offerings. They must have been proud of being major givers while the poor widow humbly cast in her farthing! In God’s sight, the poor window’s mite carried more weight than the fat offerings of the wealth giver. Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hast cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury. Onewonders how two mites can be more than the bigger offerings. For all they did cast in of their abundance, but she of her want did cast in ALL that she had, even ALL HER LIVING.
She cast in her ALL while the others cast in out of the abundance they had. The widow’s life was wholly dedicated to the Lord. That is why she could bring her last to the temple. It takes a submitted life to do this. So when it comes to offering, the Lord looks into your heart before looking into your hand. Check your heart today. Be wholly dedicated to him. And your offering shall be acceptable.
PRAYER: My father, help me. I surrender my life and my all to you. Make my life and my offering acceptable to you.
