Developing the Widow’s Faith
Daily Reading: Genesis 40, Psalm 40, Mark 12, Proverbs 9
As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
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 only 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 all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:38-44
We see quite a stark contrast in this passage today.
On one side we hear Jesus speak quite harshly about prominent leaders in the faith community that have amassed large amounts of wealth taking advantage of the poor, only to turn around and make a big show out of their chiritable giving. After “devouring widow’s houses” they turn around and give grand speeches as they give a small sliver of their wealth back to God and love to be seen walking through the marketplace and being greeted with respect for what an amazing thing they are doing.
Then we have the widow.
She has absolutely nothing, but trusts God with it all.
It is amazing how relevant this passage remains to this very day, 2000 years later.
I want to have the faith of the widow. I want to honor God with the resources he has blessed me with, because it was never mine to begin with. It was always God’s.
However, society pulls us in the opposite direction every single day. I struggle with that tension of wanting to give generously, but also worry about security. The mortgage payment, monthly bills, 4 kids, eventually college, saving for retirement, and the list goes on.
The default is making sure our needs are met and then giving out of what is left.
God want’s our hearts to mirror the widow.
He doesn’t want us to “give out of our wealth” because we have been able to amass a certain amount of financial security and are now finally in a place where we feel comfortable giving back.
God wants us to give “out of our poverty” and trust that he will always provide.
So challenging.
Naomi and I have tried to be faithful givers over the years, but there have also been lots of times where God has put on my heart a ministry to fund, a need we could fill, etc. and for some reason, we just didn’t do it.
The crazy thing about looking back on these moments from the last several years is this, we never really decided not to. In fact, in most cases we talked about it, said, “Yes. We should do that.” and then somehow life got busy, the workweek got away from me, distractions came flooding in, and I just never logged in to send the money.
I never said, “No.” Satan just swooped, as he is so good at doing, and provided just enough “thorns” to keep this commitment from coming to fruition.
“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain…”
Matthew 13:7
Today, I am going to surrender this to God. I am going to look back at those “yeses” that somehow turned into a “no” without any real reason, and be faithful. I am going to pray with my wife about any other areas where God may be leading with our finances.
This year, I want to develop the faith of the widow.
Daily Reflection & Dialogue
Where might God be calling you to be more faithful with your finances so that you can be a blessing to others and spread the love of God?
