Generosity...The Way Jesus see's it
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark. 12:41-44 NIV)
From our reading today we find Jesus in an interesting place. He is seated in the temple in a place where he can see the people giving their offerings.
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts”
Two things you should admit about yourself
- You are probably not as generous as you want people to think you are.
- You are probably not as generous as you think you are.
“But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.”
When I was a freshman in High School our economics teacher brought in a tiny coin that was made of copper it was about half the size of a penny.
The coin was called a mill.
The coin was once used to pay sales tax. Something might cost 1.00 and the tax would be 3 mills. So the person paying would give the sales clerk a dollar and three of these mill coins. It took 10 of them to equal the value of one penny.
That is what this widow was putting into the offering box. Tiny coins not even the value of a penny in todays money.
No one but Jesus even noticed her gift. But Jesus calls his disciples over and says something amazing…
“Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”
How could that be possible?
We compare differently than God compares.
“They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Primary Learning from this passage:
It is not about equal giving. It is about equal sacrifice
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