The Widow's Mite

The Widow's Mite

At long last and much to my relief, this semester is almost over.  This time next Sunday I will be happily at home with family and with Julianne, beginning to enjoy the Christmas season.  It is always hard when you are in school because Christmas time can't really begin until everything else is finished.  The temperatures in Fort Worth also tend to make it feel more like October than December.  But soon enough I will be home with family, decorations, and plenty of Christmas cheer!

I don't have much to write this week because quite frankly I am about authored out right now.  But here is something I studied and thought about for my lesson on tithing today.

This week I was perhaps more impressed than I have ever been before as I read the story of the widow's mite.  I was struck by the setting and the way that this dear woman fit into it.  With less than a week remaining in his mortal life, the Savior was using an opportunity to train his disciples, the men that would have to become the faces of His Church and stand before the world, testifying with power of the truth of His gospel.  He warned them about becoming like "the scribes which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers" (Mark 12:38-40).  In short, He warned His disciples about becoming men who preach for show and live the gospel outwardly, but not inwardly.  He didn't want them to become popular preachers even though He desired them to become powerful and bold witnesses to all the world.

And then, watching the people cast money into the treasury, with some rich men making large and very visible donations, He spotted this poor woman who exemplified everything He wanted His disciples to be.  "And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That his poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury: 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" (Mark 12:42-44).  While others were worshiping for show, allowing the sounds of their donations to witness their wealth and "generosity" to the world, this poor widow cast in two mites that would likely not have made a single sound when they hit the other coins.  Why was she making this donation when she had so little?  Surely her two mites would do almost nothing toward the upkeep of the Temple?  Was it even worth it for her to give these two small coins?

The donation of this poor widow was not simply all her living, it was all of her heart and all of her love.  Unless I am mistaken, this poor woman was as aware of the large donations others were making as everyone else was.  Perhaps she made her donation almost timidly, knowing it was so little compared to what others were giving.  But her love of God impelled her to make it, no matter how little it was.  It was this gift, the gift of her whole soul, that made her the example the Savior wanted His disciples to see and follow.  The gift of her soul touched the very God of Heaven and was acceptable to Him.

I imagine that this poor widow never thought anyone else noticed her that day.  But her offering has been enshrined in the hearts and minds of men and women for two thousand years because the only person whose opinion mattered that day did notice her and fully accepted her great sacrifice.

As one who has been given so much more of this world's goods, I pray that I might be blessed to be able to give in the same way this good woman gave.  I pray that my acts of obedience will not be done to show off before the world, but that they might be acts of devotion and discipleship driven by a sincere love of God.  I pray that my offering might be even half as weighty as was the gift of this dear woman.

Brett