And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
Jesus watched rich men put large sums into the temple chests for show while a poor widow hesitatingly cast in two very small coins that were her whole living, and He declared her small offering greater than all the larger offerings given that day. God does not measure a gift by its amount but by the love, faith, sincerity, motive and cheerful unselfishness behind it, and by its proportion to what the giver has and what it costs in comforts and necessities denied. She gave all she had, going without food and facing an uncertain future in trust that her Heavenly Father would care for her and sustain the temple service she loved, while the rich gave from abundance without sacrifice or want. Her deed, done to Christ and recorded for judgment, became a monument through all time whose sincere self-sacrifice has inspired generosity across generations to feed the hungry, heal the sick, sustain missions and spread the truth, with full results to be seen in eternity. So the poor and even children share the privilege of giving, and every willing mite given in self-denial is acceptable and to be cherished and gathered for God's work, laying up treasure in heaven.
Setting and Wording
The words were spoken on the last day of Christ's teaching in the temple, in the temple courts before the vast throngs gathered at Jerusalem who were watching His contest with the priests, rulers and scribes and eagerly catching every word from His lips. He was watching the givers at the treasure chests in the temple court, where rich men put in large sums with ostentation and self-satisfaction to be seen. Beside them a poor widow came hesitatingly as if fearful of being seen and shrinking back, and hurriedly cast in two mites which were very small beside theirs yet were her whole living, from longing to do something for the cause she loved.
He fixed His eyes on her and called His disciples to mark her poverty, and spoke His commendation of her so that she heard it and wept for joy at being understood and appreciated. The declaration that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all means He judged her small offering of two small coins to be greater than all the others' larger offerings given that day.
Measure of True Giving
God measures a gift not by its amount or the worth of the coin but by the love to God, the interest in His work, the faith, the unselfish spirit, the sincerity, the motive, and the wholehearted cheerfulness behind it. Its worth is reckoned not by size but by the loving, unselfish motive and unwavering faith that prompt it, so that a heart of love and genuine faith is more acceptable than the most costly gift, and motive gives true value to acts. Little duties cheerfully done and little gifts that make no show are counted to eternal credit, and the slender offerings of the poor given from a heart burdened with love become consecrated priceless offerings which God smiles upon and blesses and lays up in heaven.
Its value depends on its proportion to what a person has and its cost to the giver. Giving from need and poverty that denies comforts, luxuries, food, and apparent necessities is true sacrifice, even going without something needed for comfort, and there is a sacredness in such an offering. By contrast, giving from abundance that costs no comfort and is felt as no want, denying the giver nothing really needed, is no sacrifice and cannot compare in true value with the mite of the poor, even when the rich give freely larger sums that may be given to be seen and honored or withheld from fear of lacking. Even a humble offering is accepted when it is all the giver can bring, and the liberal poor man who has little but gives that little freely will as surely realize the promises as the wealthy man who gives of his abundance.
Reward is measured not by the amount entrusted but by fidelity and the measure of consecration with which gifts are devoted to the Master's service. Each one is rewarded according to faithfulness in using entrusted gifts when the Lord comes to reckon with His stewards, proportionate to that faithfulness, and a whole-hearted interest in the work of soul-saving is accounted as of great value. The smallest offering, when it is a person's best and is given with the whole heart, with heart and mind and soul and strength fully given to service, is valuable and not insignificant. Worth is measured by purity of motive and by wholehearted cheerfulness, and the Lord adds His blessing to such a gift, making its errand of mercy fruitful in accordance with the cheerfulness with which it was bestowed, so that a gift as small as the mite is noticed and rewarded according to purity of motive.
God notices a small gift when it represents real sacrifice, and means given after denying oneself a gratification are noticed by Him even when the amount is small. Giving up money once used for personal gratification and giving it to the cause is real sacrifice, and its value is not measured only by its size. The humble gift and the limited sum from the poorer class, the mites from every source, are not inferior to larger offerings but are to be carefully cherished and treasured, with all called to cooperate and none despising small gifts. Even the simplest offering can be of great value when accompanied by Heaven's blessing, more acceptable than money raised by tempting appetite to indulge, and even pennies and small coins, when given sacrificially for charitable purposes, are received and blessed.
Widow's Faith and Sacrifice
She gave all she had, her whole living, holding back nothing for herself. In doing so she went without food and faced an uncertain future, depriving herself even of what she needed to live. She did this in trust that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her great need but would care for her and provide for her future needs. Her gift was given joyfully, with prayer and tears, and with her heart in it, contributed from her scant dependence even through sacrifice.
She believed the temple service was of God's appointment and wanted to do her utmost to sustain it. Her heart yearned to do what she could for the cause she loved, to do her part as far as she was able.
By contrast the rich gave from their abundance, and their large gifts cost them no real sacrifice. They gave without denying themselves any comfort or luxury they really needed, often to be seen and honored, with ostentation and self-satisfaction.
Jesus, who knows the heart, understood the motives of her heart and commended her spirit of sacrifice and unwavering faith. He judged her sacrifice and rewarded her fidelity with His commendation, measuring reward not by amount entrusted but by fidelity and consecration in using what was entrusted. He spoke that commendation even while rebuking the selfishness that extorted and misapplied widows' gifts, and condemning such abuse does not lessen the obligation to give, for human misuse of a gift cannot turn God's blessing away from the giver.
Influence and Eternal Reward
Her two mites did more than meet a moment's need, for their influence reached far beyond anything she herself knew. Her example has stirred self-sacrifice and generosity in every age and across lands, moving others to give in turn. Those further gifts have sustained missions, established hospitals, fed the hungry, healed the sick, relieved the needy, cared for people in need, and carried the gospel and the truth to the poor. What began as a hidden act of love therefore multiplied into lasting aid for the poor and support for the gospel through generations.
Its full good cannot be measured, for its influence became immeasurable. A sincere gift given for God's glory can have far-reaching effects that grow beyond human measure. The good results of such acts may widen long after the giver is gone.
Her deed stands as a monument to her memory through all time. On the day of God she will see the many lives blessed through her deed, and share joy in eternity. Slender offerings of the poor, when given from a heart burdened with love, become consecrated priceless offerings which God smiles upon and blesses and are laid up in heaven as treasure. Even offerings slight in amount are thus accepted, blessed, and kept as heavenly treasure when love to God prompts them.
Her two small coins were counted as a deed done to Christ and recorded for judgment. No action marked by holiness and truth is insignificant, and even a small act has weight in the final review.
Call to Give Today
The poor share in the privilege of giving, and everyone entrusted with means is to give and support God's work according to means and ability. The smallest willing offering of the poor, given from a heart of love to Christ, is as acceptable as the largest donation of the rich, so even a small offering is not to be withheld, and those who have more can also give joyfully to do good. Its worth is counted not chiefly by amount but by proportion to what is possessed and by love, sacrifice, and motive, for she gave from need and gave all she had, even what she needed to live, trusting God to provide for future needs. The liberal poor man who gives his little freely will as surely realize the promises as the wealthy man who gives of abundance, for the poor man makes a sacrifice he really feels by denying himself things needed for comfort, while the wealthy man feels no want and denies himself nothing really needed, so there is a sacredness in the poor man's offering not found in the rich man's gift, and the plan of systematic benevolence includes the poor as well as the wealthy for the benefit of man.
Giving is to follow her example of self-denial and sacrifice by giving what can be given, denying self a gratification or something that can be done without, and saving so as to contribute to the Lord's treasury as a guiding principle. Means given after denying oneself a gratification are noticed even when the amount is small, and those unable to give as much as others should still give what they can and trust that such giving for the needy and for God's cause lays up treasure in heaven. Reward is measured not by the amount entrusted but by fidelity and the measure of consecration with which gifts are devoted to the Master's service, proportionate to faithfulness in using entrusted gifts when the Lord reckons with His stewards, and a whole-hearted interest in soul-saving is accounted as of great value. Everyone entrusted with means is called to give for the support of God's work in self-denial after her example, and God will greatly bless those who do so.
As giving is measured not by amount but by cost to the giver, so the disciples' forsaking of only a few fishing boats and nets was not despised for its littleness but accepted, because it was their all and was as dear to them as the riches of the wealthy are to the rich. Those entrusted with the Lord's money should place it where it will advance His work and help bring souls to the truth. Gifts made through self-denial to support the Lord's house do good and bring a reward hereafter, for a small gift given sincerely and in love is precious and the widow's two mites can do good and bring a reward hereafter.
Such mites must be gathered up from every source and carefully cherished and treasured, for the humble gift and limited sum from the poorer class is not inferior to larger offerings. Worth is measured by wholehearted cheerfulness, and the Lord adds His blessing to make its errand of mercy fruitful in accordance with the cheerfulness with which it was bestowed, in cooperation of all without despising small gifts. They are to be made to go as far as possible to pay church debts and support missionaries and their work, to build schools and meeting-houses, to provide bath rooms and hospitals and tents, to care for workers, for an orphans' home and for ministers no longer able to labor, and to educate people and carry the truth to new fields, even when the giver is in distressing need with unpaid bills and borrowed money to repay. Giving from the heart in her spirit does well, and even the simplest offering can be of great value when accompanied by Heaven's blessing, unlike money raised by tempting appetite to indulge.
Giving is measured by sacrifice rather than amount, so a widow with no house or land who supports herself gives more than all others when she gives eighty dollars she has earned and laid by for the cause as a deliberate planned gift. Such a gift is to be received and not refused, and making it known stirs others to give. Christ's recognition of the mite has inspired many who are so poor they can give only a small sum to determine to do something, proving that every gift however small helps and that much has been accomplished by such giving.
Children's pennies given to the Lord can help save souls and their impact will be seen in heaven. Children should show unselfish interest by putting pennies in self-denial boxes for missionary work, by denying needless things and earning money, including making and selling simple useful household articles to give their mites to help the work in the South. None should become weary in well-doing because every penny is needed, and the self-denial box plan for such sacrifice is originated by God, with the gift noticed and rewarded according to purity of motive.
Jesus watched rich men put large sums into the temple chests for show while a poor widow hesitatingly cast in two very small coins that were her whole living, and He declared her small offering greater than all the larger offerings given that day.
God does not measure a gift by its amount but by the love, faith, sincerity, motive and cheerful unselfishness behind it, and by its proportion to what the giver has and what it costs in comforts and necessities denied.
She gave all she had, going without food and facing an uncertain future in trust that her Heavenly Father would care for her and sustain the temple service she loved, while the rich gave from abundance without sacrifice or want.
Her deed, done to Christ and recorded for judgment, became a monument through all time whose sincere self-sacrifice has inspired generosity across generations to feed the hungry, heal the sick, sustain missions and spread the truth, with full results to be seen in eternity.
So the poor and even children share the privilege of giving, and every willing mite given in self-denial is acceptable and to be cherished and gathered for God's work, laying up treasure in heaven.
Setting and Wording
The words were spoken on the last day of Christ's teaching in the temple, in the temple courts before the vast throngs gathered at Jerusalem who were watching His contest with the priests, rulers and scribes and eagerly catching every word from His lips. He was watching the givers at the treasure chests in the temple court, where rich men put in large sums with ostentation and self-satisfaction to be seen. Beside them a poor widow came hesitatingly as if fearful of being seen and shrinking back, and hurriedly cast in two mites which were very small beside theirs yet were her whole living, from longing to do something for the cause she loved.
He fixed His eyes on her and called His disciples to mark her poverty, and spoke His commendation of her so that she heard it and wept for joy at being understood and appreciated. The declaration that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all means He judged her small offering of two small coins to be greater than all the others' larger offerings given that day.
Measure of True Giving
God measures a gift not by its amount or the worth of the coin but by the love to God, the interest in His work, the faith, the unselfish spirit, the sincerity, the motive, and the wholehearted cheerfulness behind it. Its worth is reckoned not by size but by the loving, unselfish motive and unwavering faith that prompt it, so that a heart of love and genuine faith is more acceptable than the most costly gift, and motive gives true value to acts. Little duties cheerfully done and little gifts that make no show are counted to eternal credit, and the slender offerings of the poor given from a heart burdened with love become consecrated priceless offerings which God smiles upon and blesses and lays up in heaven.
Its value depends on its proportion to what a person has and its cost to the giver. Giving from need and poverty that denies comforts, luxuries, food, and apparent necessities is true sacrifice, even going without something needed for comfort, and there is a sacredness in such an offering. By contrast, giving from abundance that costs no comfort and is felt as no want, denying the giver nothing really needed, is no sacrifice and cannot compare in true value with the mite of the poor, even when the rich give freely larger sums that may be given to be seen and honored or withheld from fear of lacking. Even a humble offering is accepted when it is all the giver can bring, and the liberal poor man who has little but gives that little freely will as surely realize the promises as the wealthy man who gives of his abundance.
Reward is measured not by the amount entrusted but by fidelity and the measure of consecration with which gifts are devoted to the Master's service. Each one is rewarded according to faithfulness in using entrusted gifts when the Lord comes to reckon with His stewards, proportionate to that faithfulness, and a whole-hearted interest in the work of soul-saving is accounted as of great value. The smallest offering, when it is a person's best and is given with the whole heart, with heart and mind and soul and strength fully given to service, is valuable and not insignificant. Worth is measured by purity of motive and by wholehearted cheerfulness, and the Lord adds His blessing to such a gift, making its errand of mercy fruitful in accordance with the cheerfulness with which it was bestowed, so that a gift as small as the mite is noticed and rewarded according to purity of motive.
God notices a small gift when it represents real sacrifice, and means given after denying oneself a gratification are noticed by Him even when the amount is small. Giving up money once used for personal gratification and giving it to the cause is real sacrifice, and its value is not measured only by its size. The humble gift and the limited sum from the poorer class, the mites from every source, are not inferior to larger offerings but are to be carefully cherished and treasured, with all called to cooperate and none despising small gifts. Even the simplest offering can be of great value when accompanied by Heaven's blessing, more acceptable than money raised by tempting appetite to indulge, and even pennies and small coins, when given sacrificially for charitable purposes, are received and blessed.
Widow's Faith and Sacrifice
She gave all she had, her whole living, holding back nothing for herself. In doing so she went without food and faced an uncertain future, depriving herself even of what she needed to live. She did this in trust that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her great need but would care for her and provide for her future needs. Her gift was given joyfully, with prayer and tears, and with her heart in it, contributed from her scant dependence even through sacrifice.
She believed the temple service was of God's appointment and wanted to do her utmost to sustain it. Her heart yearned to do what she could for the cause she loved, to do her part as far as she was able.
By contrast the rich gave from their abundance, and their large gifts cost them no real sacrifice. They gave without denying themselves any comfort or luxury they really needed, often to be seen and honored, with ostentation and self-satisfaction.
Jesus, who knows the heart, understood the motives of her heart and commended her spirit of sacrifice and unwavering faith. He judged her sacrifice and rewarded her fidelity with His commendation, measuring reward not by amount entrusted but by fidelity and consecration in using what was entrusted. He spoke that commendation even while rebuking the selfishness that extorted and misapplied widows' gifts, and condemning such abuse does not lessen the obligation to give, for human misuse of a gift cannot turn God's blessing away from the giver.
Influence and Eternal Reward
Her two mites did more than meet a moment's need, for their influence reached far beyond anything she herself knew. Her example has stirred self-sacrifice and generosity in every age and across lands, moving others to give in turn. Those further gifts have sustained missions, established hospitals, fed the hungry, healed the sick, relieved the needy, cared for people in need, and carried the gospel and the truth to the poor. What began as a hidden act of love therefore multiplied into lasting aid for the poor and support for the gospel through generations.
Its full good cannot be measured, for its influence became immeasurable. A sincere gift given for God's glory can have far-reaching effects that grow beyond human measure. The good results of such acts may widen long after the giver is gone.
Her deed stands as a monument to her memory through all time. On the day of God she will see the many lives blessed through her deed, and share joy in eternity. Slender offerings of the poor, when given from a heart burdened with love, become consecrated priceless offerings which God smiles upon and blesses and are laid up in heaven as treasure. Even offerings slight in amount are thus accepted, blessed, and kept as heavenly treasure when love to God prompts them.
Her two small coins were counted as a deed done to Christ and recorded for judgment. No action marked by holiness and truth is insignificant, and even a small act has weight in the final review.
Call to Give Today
The poor share in the privilege of giving, and everyone entrusted with means is to give and support God's work according to means and ability. The smallest willing offering of the poor, given from a heart of love to Christ, is as acceptable as the largest donation of the rich, so even a small offering is not to be withheld, and those who have more can also give joyfully to do good. Its worth is counted not chiefly by amount but by proportion to what is possessed and by love, sacrifice, and motive, for she gave from need and gave all she had, even what she needed to live, trusting God to provide for future needs. The liberal poor man who gives his little freely will as surely realize the promises as the wealthy man who gives of abundance, for the poor man makes a sacrifice he really feels by denying himself things needed for comfort, while the wealthy man feels no want and denies himself nothing really needed, so there is a sacredness in the poor man's offering not found in the rich man's gift, and the plan of systematic benevolence includes the poor as well as the wealthy for the benefit of man.
Giving is to follow her example of self-denial and sacrifice by giving what can be given, denying self a gratification or something that can be done without, and saving so as to contribute to the Lord's treasury as a guiding principle. Means given after denying oneself a gratification are noticed even when the amount is small, and those unable to give as much as others should still give what they can and trust that such giving for the needy and for God's cause lays up treasure in heaven. Reward is measured not by the amount entrusted but by fidelity and the measure of consecration with which gifts are devoted to the Master's service, proportionate to faithfulness in using entrusted gifts when the Lord reckons with His stewards, and a whole-hearted interest in soul-saving is accounted as of great value. Everyone entrusted with means is called to give for the support of God's work in self-denial after her example, and God will greatly bless those who do so.
As giving is measured not by amount but by cost to the giver, so the disciples' forsaking of only a few fishing boats and nets was not despised for its littleness but accepted, because it was their all and was as dear to them as the riches of the wealthy are to the rich. Those entrusted with the Lord's money should place it where it will advance His work and help bring souls to the truth. Gifts made through self-denial to support the Lord's house do good and bring a reward hereafter, for a small gift given sincerely and in love is precious and the widow's two mites can do good and bring a reward hereafter.
Such mites must be gathered up from every source and carefully cherished and treasured, for the humble gift and limited sum from the poorer class is not inferior to larger offerings. Worth is measured by wholehearted cheerfulness, and the Lord adds His blessing to make its errand of mercy fruitful in accordance with the cheerfulness with which it was bestowed, in cooperation of all without despising small gifts. They are to be made to go as far as possible to pay church debts and support missionaries and their work, to build schools and meeting-houses, to provide bath rooms and hospitals and tents, to care for workers, for an orphans' home and for ministers no longer able to labor, and to educate people and carry the truth to new fields, even when the giver is in distressing need with unpaid bills and borrowed money to repay. Giving from the heart in her spirit does well, and even the simplest offering can be of great value when accompanied by Heaven's blessing, unlike money raised by tempting appetite to indulge.
Giving is measured by sacrifice rather than amount, so a widow with no house or land who supports herself gives more than all others when she gives eighty dollars she has earned and laid by for the cause as a deliberate planned gift. Such a gift is to be received and not refused, and making it known stirs others to give. Christ's recognition of the mite has inspired many who are so poor they can give only a small sum to determine to do something, proving that every gift however small helps and that much has been accomplished by such giving.
Children's pennies given to the Lord can help save souls and their impact will be seen in heaven. Children should show unselfish interest by putting pennies in self-denial boxes for missionary work, by denying needless things and earning money, including making and selling simple useful household articles to give their mites to help the work in the South. None should become weary in well-doing because every penny is needed, and the self-denial box plan for such sacrifice is originated by God, with the gift noticed and rewarded according to purity of motive.