A Widow’s Story

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had.” Luke 21:1-4

Whenever I read a book with particularly well written characters I hate to see it end. I want to know what happens next? Does the couple live happily ever after? Is the rebel truly tamed? How does that newborn baby grow up? What becomes of that family? Sometimes the author continues the story with a sequel but most often it is a slice of life and that’s all. Here in Luke we get more of a crumb of life story. The widow goes to the temple and she gives all that she has. I am humbled by her actions but what happens next? Jesus doesn’t say. He tells his story makes his point and moves on. It’s almost an aside between two more important stories, an, oh by the way did you see that? Knowing the heart and mercy of God we believe that the widow was then lavishly blessed, that her life of struggle became a life of plenty. Nowhere does it say that happened.

God loves each of us and I believe because I have experienced it that God will never be outdone in generosity. If I, like this widow, give until it hurts I will be blessed but not necessarily with money or things. You see God knows what we need so much better than we do. The widow came and gave her last two coins but maybe money wasn’t really her deepest need. Perhaps she was lonely and God provided companionship for her. Perhaps she was ill as well as poor and God restored her health. I have no way of knowing the details but I do know this, God did not ignore that act of great faith.

This story may be about the widow’s awareness that God is all we truly need in life. Maybe, but I think it is about God’s glory. We are not told what happened to the widow. We don’t know how quickly God responded and answered the desires of her heart. We do know this that her actions were applauded by Jesus himself. Was it an act of faith or desperation? We don’t even know the answer to that question. I like to think faith motivated her. That she knew that God would bless her in an abundant and powerful way. That line of reasoning really works for me but I don’t know if it’s true. Perhaps she was just desperate and having heard that God could change her life decided to give her all and hope for the best. In either case she put her faith, trust and hope in God. We know that means she was not disappointed but I wonder if that is the real reason the story is included in Scripture. Is it an illustration to encourage us to give, or is it included simply to bring glory to God?

Nowhere is there a follow up story about the widow. The comparison is made between the rich who gave a bit of what they had and the widow who gave her all. God doesn’t want a few minutes here or there. He doesn’t want alternate Mondays and one evening a month. He isn’t interested in a leg here or a hand there. He wants us in our entirety. All of our actions, energies, words and thoughts are supposed to be focused on Him. We were created to point to God, to reflect his love and to bring him to those who haven’t met Him. It’s a huge task and I know I fail miserably, falling much more in line with the rich than with the widow. I know however that God sees my every effort and applauds it. I know that those things I do to honor His name and to bring attention to him are the things that bring me the most joy. How is it that even when we are getting it right, when we do give a good gift that God blesses us more than we can ever bless Him? It happens because God is God and we are not. To God be all the glory.

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