Mark 12:38-44

As [Jesus] taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Two Ways of Giving

Jesus, “Watched the crowd.” What does Jesus see? For us to answer this question we need to remember a couple of things about who he is.

First, Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus sees as God sees. God gave his chosen people the command to build the temple, the place to offer him worship and sacrifice. But God is the Creator, who has made all things: this means that he doesn’t need anything from us. He calls us to worship and sacrifice so that we can give back what he has given him. Jesus sees the giving at the temple as a return of what God has given.

Second, Jesus is the Messiah, he is on a mission to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth. In the Kingdom the values of the world are reversed. The rich and powerful lose their status, and the poor and lowly are lifted up. (Luke 1) The injustice of the world is being opposed by the Kingdom that Jesus is bringing.

Jesus saw that, “Many rich people put in large sums.” These people were doing what was expected, giving generously. This act of giving was very public. People placed the money in chests in the temple courtyard for everyone else to see. The rich people who gave a lot would be seen as really generous. And, by the standards of the world, they really were generous.

Jesus also saw, the “poor widow [who] came and put in two small copper coins.” Her offering would also be judged by everyone who saw. She would be known as a poor woman by what she put in. Would she have felt ashamed or judged? By the world’s standards she was unable to be generous, she was unable to give as expected.

Jesus sees things differently. He can see into our hearts. Our generosity of heart matters a lot to him. He sees that giving is easy when we have a lot. It’s still great to give, but not really a sacrifice when you already have a lot. Maybe the rich people who came to the temple that day were motivated by wanting to impress others. Jesus sees the true generosity in the widow who gives all she has, at a sacrifice.

We are also invited to give whatever little we have, from hearts that are generous and ready for sacrifice.