“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 this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of the abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

Mark 12:42-44 KJV

Every year, our denomination has a conference in which pastors receive their appointments for the next year’s work. Prior to that conference, it is traditionally, a time when congregations have services to recognize and appreciate their pastor. It is a mixture of joy for the work accomplished and of anxiety because we don’t know if it will be the last time we have this opportunity to share in this particular fellowship. Part of the services usually include a period of time where the congregants can bring their expressions of gratitude in whatever way they choose. Some will give little speeches, others will drop a card in a basket with a hug and a personal greeting and still others will send their gifts, because they aren’t able to bring them personally. We have been blessed to serve this particular congregation for six years now. Every year, my husband and I receive all that is given and once we settle in for the evening, we go through every card, read every greeting and make note of every offering envelope and say our thank you’s for every one of them. We know our people and even if they don’t put their names on the cards or the offering envelopes, we can still identify all of them, by their handwriting or the way that they write our names.

This year it was suggested during the planning process that every member should be told a minimum to give. I quickly rejected that idea explaining that this was a free will gift and I didn’t want anyone to be marginalized if they felt they couldn’t meet the minimum. I generally don’t like any offering to be mandated, I think it goes against God’s will.

This year, as we carefully went through each gift, card and envelope we did our typical thank you over each one of them. And then I came across an envelope from one of the members that I know has had a particularly difficult year physically, emotionally and relationally. The mere fact that she pressed her way back to an afternoon service dedicated to my work was thanks enough for me. I would not have been even a little disturbed if her name was not on one of those envelopes. Yet there it was, simply scrawled out and we opened the envelope. She had put five one dollar bills, some crumpled and worn, lovingly into that envelope. My husband said thank you and I looked at him and I said this one gave her widow’s mite.

The text above comes at some point of the Passion week as recorded by the Gospel writer, Mark. Jesus had been going in and out of the temple, teaching and making observations, denouncing the leadership and generally giving the last push of ministry before the cross. Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury and observing how people gave into the offerings, noting that those who were rich were giving a lot. But his attention was drawn to a woman who gave her last. Despite whatever corruption and misdeeds the Scribes and Pharisees were up to, this woman wanted to demonstrate her trust and worship in God by giving into the offering, not some, but all that she had. She was not ashamed of her two little copper coins as she tossed them into the treasury. By doing so, she was saying that she trusted God to restore it back to her and then some. It was not just an offering, it was a sacrifice. Unlike us today, when we think we are making a sacrifice by declaring it to be our Widow’s Mite, she simply put her sacrifice there and walked away with no fanfare. By Jesus noticing it and bringing attention to it, the unspoken message is that God will honor her sacrificial gift more than the artificial and superficial show that the rich gave.

I am super appreciative of all the love and support we were given during our Appreciation Service. I smile when I think about some of the gifts that were given that clearly had thought put to them. I will treasure every card and memory from this day, but the one who gave her all has touched my heart in a deep place and I believe, that God will restore her abundantly for the sacrificial gift she gave.