Less Than A Penny

Is that all Jesus does is talk about money? It wasn’t the money, it was the giving. The rich; well they gave much.  Mark 12:41 (KJV) And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

Here she comes a widow no one is paying any attention to her. She didn’t have much, her dress was, well let’s just say it wasn’t stylish. Her giving wasn’t much. But wait, it was more than anyone thought for It caught the eye and attention of Jesus.  

Mark 12:43 (KJV) And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Jesus calls over His disciples and says “did you guys see that?” See what they may have asked. Maybe Jesus is asking if we saw the small man who just put in that large amount of cash! Yes we saw that. Wasn’t that nice of him! No, Jesus said that poor widow woman. No we missed that, was it more than that small man’s? Jesus said yes by far. Well how much did she give? It looks like she is barely making it. Jesus said she gave more than all that have given. Really, how much did she give? Jesus said less than a penny. Less than a penny! Mark 12:43 (KJV) And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

Mark 12:44 (KJV) For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. It’s not the amount of how much one puts in. But the heart behind what is given. Over 40 years ago I was given the job of treasury at the church I was attending. You know why I was given that Job? Because no one wanted it. There was this man who had a wife and 3 children, they lived in a nearby trailer park. His job was nothing great but it was enough to keep his family up. Every week he gave a check to the Church, he never missed giving. There was another man who had his own business and was doing very well. When he gave it was much more than the other man, at times this man would stand up in a service when the Church needed money to do a project and he would say “I’ll give and it would be a large amount.” But the problem with that is he never gave what he said, no not one cent. One day he all but laughed at the other man for his giving. Wonder how Jesus felt about that? I think I know “That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all” it’s not about how much.