You see giving is not a one-way street. In this story of the widow’s mite, found in Mark 12:41-44 and in Luke 21-1-4, Jesus doesn’t transform a person. Not only was I giving at a certain, very defined weight, I now knew that 30 pounds of stuff had been weighing me down. To Remember: Jesus knows all about us. Note: The story of Hattie Wiatt is taken from on a sermon by Russell H. Conwell delivered December 1, 1912. You do all the giving and someone else gets all the benefits. Instead, Jesus uses the actions of the poor widow and transforms them into a lesson. The word mite refers to a very small sum of money. Sacrifice: to give up something valuable or important ; Mite: the Roman coin that was worth the least Lesson- Mark 12:41-44 41 And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. Not only should we give with all our hearts to God, but we should be able to give to each other with the heart of God using examples like the widow’s mite tale. . by Lindsey Kettner. I'm sure you've heard the story of "the widow's mite". The second part of the question has to do with Matthew 19:16-22 which is the story of the rich young ruler. We should not care about who sees us putting forward what we (and they) may think is too little because before anything, God sees the condition of our hearts when we do. When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. While verse 19 doesn’t relate directly to the story of the widow and her two mites, the principle is the same. Vocabulary. He uses the occasion to teach that it is not the amount you give, but why you give, that's important to God. One has to be extremely biased to try to use the widow’s mite as an example of exemplary giving and try to use the passage as a fundraiser. It is more blessed to give than to receive. At the next widow’s mite offering, I was much more present. In Jesus' name we pray. Your love for the Lord is measured by obedience. So are we to believe that the widow’s contribution to a corrupt organization that was to be destroyed is honorable or exemplary? This time I felt the very weight of giving. Giving blesses the giver. The world is not always what it seems. I better understood the weight of those two coins in the widow’s hand. 41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting [] money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. Again, I laid my coins at the altar. 42 A poor widow came and put in two [] small copper coins, which amount to a [] cent. First, always be on the lookout for God’s work beneath material realities. Amen. Ancient Rome Widow's Mite (Lepton) 103BC to 76AD There is an account in the Bible (Mark 12 and Luke 21) where Jesus sees a poor widow put two 'mites' into the offering. Mark 12:41-44 New American Standard Bible (NASB) The Widow’s Mite. The Truth Behind the Widow’s Last Two Coins! Hardly not. Giving is not an option; it is a command. The Widow’s Mite: Giving All You Have. Giving is a good measure of your spiritual maturity. It's the parable Jesus tells in the Bible about the widow who gives who last two coins -- all she had! 6. Click here to read the entire sermon on Temple University's web site. -- … Dear Father, everything we have is a gift from you. Jesus was able to do this in the story of the widow’s mite. Help us to remember that we should give back to you with a cheerful heart. If we will do that, then God will see how we are giving, and He will take care of us. Use the story of the widow’s mite among church leadership as an internal model for discipleship. 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