Mighty Mites

Mark tells the story of the widow's mite in his gospel. (Mark 12:41-44)
I love this story.

Jesus and His disciples were sitting opposite the treasury and
they were able to see how much money different people
were giving. My Bible notes say that the treasury was located
in the Court of Women. (Hey! That's an idea to bring up
to the building committee!) Offerings were placed in 13
trumpet shaped chests.

Rich people were putting in a great deal of clanging coins
and they were making a great show of it.
A poor widow snuck in and threw in two mites,
worth 1/8 of a cent each.

Jesus called the disciples to Him and said,
"Listen up. This poor woman gave more than all those
who have given to the treasury, for they put in out
of their abundance, but she out of her poverty,
put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

I looked up 'livelihood' and Webster confirmed
that her livelihood was her 'whole means of supporting life.'

I don't think Jesus was saying that we should literally be
like that woman and give away our last cent
and go home to die.

I think He was saying that we shouldn't go by the
appearance of things. It looked like the rich were
giving more than the poor widow, but they had
much more where that came from,
and she had nothing left.

To whom much is given,
much is required.

Sometimes,
we look at how much people give emotionally
and spiritually, and it looks like they are
giving a lot in comparison to others.
But they are just giving a little bit off the top.
They don't feel the loss.
It didn't cost them anything,
but it won for them the praises of men.

And there are others who just give a little bit
in comparison to others, but for them,
it is all that they have,
and they win God's praise.
There would also be those who give a great deal
and in so doing,
have given their all as well.
They do it in secret and God rewards them openly.

Sometimes,
people appear to have great "riches",
but in the inside,
they only have two mites,
and when they give it,
we are disappointed,
because we thought they were a wealth
of emotional stability and spiritual maturity,
but in truth,
they have given all that they have,
and in truth,
we are in their lives to give to them,
and not the other way around.

Sometimes,
people are giving their riches elsewhere
and only have two mites on which to live.
I'm thinking of the new mother who gives of her
strength and her 'wealth' to her new baby
while the bewildered new father
looks on with dismay at the leftover mites.

And so we understand,
that there are seasons in life.
Sometimes we have riches to spare
and sometimes the little we give
is all that we have.

In the Kingdom of God,
things are not always as they appear
to human eyes.

Oh, God,
give us eyes to see as you see
and give us Your grace to understand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11 Corinthians 9:7,8~"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart,
not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God
is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having
all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."

Philippians 4:12, 19~"I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need....And my God shall supply all your needs
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."