Ben Fourie

“And so I tell you not to worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body.” Luke 12:22

There was a crowd at the temple daily, some to worship and some to bring their gifts. In the narrative recorded in Luke 21, Jesus was at the temple as was his custom, to teach them and tell them more about the kingdom of God. This was not long after he had chased away the merchants and money changers from the temple. He told various parables, but when He saw a very poor widow dropping two small coins in the temple treasury he used it to teach the listeners a very valuable lesson. Among the stream of well-to-do people giving from their wealth we see this poor widow. The Bible does not tell us whether she was an elderly person with nobody to look after her or maybe a young woman with small children, fact was that she was very poor.

What was so important about her two small coins that Jesus saw fit to comment on it? We should not view this story as the contrast between rich and poor where the rich are judged for being rich. The story is actually about a certain attitude and a relationship. Whereas the other people gave “from what they had to spare of their riches” she “gave all that she had to live on”. Her small offering is not proportionately a small amount from her small possessions, but literally all she had.

What she gave us are two very important guidelines about her relationship with God and this is the very message Jesus wanted to convey. We do not know the reason why she felt the need to bring this gift to God, but she obviously felt a real need to do it. Most probably it was a thank offering and when you really want to thank God for something, not even your very last two coins are too precious. In the second instance what she did, tells the story of someone who trusted God to the utmost. These are my last two coins dear God, but I know you will look after me.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that I have everything I need. Please open my eyes to the needs of others and help me to put my trust in you when the going sometimes gets tough. Amen