HE NOTICED

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. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth a few cents. Calling His disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’ Mark 12: 41-44).  

Why did Jesus sit and watch people putting their offerings into the temple treasury? Didn’t He teach His disciples that the left hand should not know what the right hand was doing? Yes, He did. He was looking at hearts and motive.

Did you notice how the wealthy people “threw” their money into the receptacles? These were trumpet-shaped clay jars, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom to prevent theft. When the coins were thrown into the container it made a ringing sound. Of course the wealthy ones exaggerated the sound to be noticed – and admired for their generosity. Guess who were at the top of the parade? The hypocrites!

Be careful not to practise your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full (Matt. 6: 1-2).

Jesus sat and watched because He was a keen student of people – and He had a group of men who needed teaching. So, as He watched, He saw an endless stream of wealthy people tossing their coins into the treasury. Some threw them in with force and looked around to see who was watching. Jesus noticed them. Some dropped their money in as though it was a routine thing to do. Jesus saw them too.

Then an elderly women, thin and poorly dressed, sidled up to the jar and, with eyes downcast, opened her hand and dropped in two tiny coins that made no sound as they fell into the jar. Then she silently melted into the crowd and disappeared from view.

“Did you see that?” Jesus announced excitedly to His disciples. “That little old lady who has just dropped her offering into the box?” With wonderment in His voice, He exclaimed, “She gave away every last cent of her livelihood. Now that’s generosity! All the others gave a little of their much. She gave much of her little. That’s the difference!” And He noticed.

So what’s it all about? Does God expect us to give everything we have to feed others and to go without ourselves? Was His instruction to the rich young ruler for everyone? “Give everything you have to the poor . . . “ No, not at all. God is realistic. He knows that we have families to feed and financial commitments to meet.

But there is something important that we as believers in Jesus need to understand. We are stewards, not owners of what we have. Moses reminded the Israelites:

But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today (Deut. 8: 18).

We think that we are the source and the owners of our money and possessions and that it is all ours. Not true! God owns it all, and He has the right to tell us how to use it. Unlike the world system which pays interest, God works with percentages, and increases by multiplication. Look at the natural world. Money is like seed. When you eat it, it disappears until there is none left. When you plant it, there will be a harvest for the next year. Sow 20% of your seed and there will be an abundant harvest to feed your family and enough to sow again for the following year.

He instructed His people to give 20% of their income away to meet the needs of others, and live on 80% without guilt because this was their duty. Why their duty? Since God was generous to them by providing resources to meet their needs, they were obliged to be generous to those who had no means to provide for themselves. This was not about how benevolent they were towards others. This was about how grateful they were for God’s generosity to them.

Judging by the way many churches struggle financially, especially during an economic downturn, God’s people are horribly ungrateful, pathetically ignorant or woefully unbelieving. You see, it takes a partnership of obedience and trust in the trustworthiness of God and His promises to live in and above a world system that orbits around money. Either God’s promises are true or He is a liar and not worthy of our worship.

This little widow woman obviously trusted Him in the midst of a world of religious hypocrites. She knew that God would care for her – so she gave what she could – everything she had because her coins added up to the least she was permitted to give.

What we do with our money is, in the end, the measure of our obedience and faith in God.

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16: 11).

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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