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Mark 12:41-44
[Jesus] 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.”

To ponder
In God’s economy, there is always enough. Karen Gonzalez, The God Who Sees

Seen and valued
As Jesus watched, the wealthy made of a show of writing big checks. Then a poor widow came, and in went the entire amount of what today might be her Social Security check. Jesus noticed that the rich had given what they could afford. The woman had given a larger proportion of what she had than any of them, even though she couldn’t afford it.

In those days, a widow was at the mercy of others to survive. We don’t know whether her children or extended family took care of this woman, or if she had a home. But we do know that her offering impressed Jesus more than all the vast sums the rich had contributed. Although she was invisible to society at large, and had no legal power or religious clout, she gave what little she did have. She was all in for God. She trusted that the God in whose image she was created, and to whom she belonged, would not foresake her. Whether she lived or died, she was seen. She had value. She belonged to God.

Prayer
Creator God, gift us with a spirit of generosity to share with trust and not hold back with fear. Amen.

(from: “A Story to Tell: Devotions for Lent” Bekki Lohrmann, Harvard Stephens Jr., Lydia Posselt, David L. Miller; Augsburg Fortress, 2020)

 

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