For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
The rich put in from what they had left over, but the widow put in from her need everything she owned to live on. Her all was only two very small coins, and to give them left her without food and without what seemed necessary to live. Jesus counted her gift greater than all the large sums given that day. God does not measure a gift by its size or money value, but by its proportion to what the giver has and by the sacrifice, faith, love, and wholehearted willingness behind it. She gave in unselfish love with childlike trust that her Heavenly Father would care for her and supply her future need. Her example has kept working through the ages to relieve the poor, spread the truth, and save souls, and such self-denying giving lays up treasure in heaven.
Contrast Between Givers
The verse sets two kinds of giving side by side: the rich cast in out of their abundance, but the widow cast in out of her want all she had, even all her living. They gave only a small portion of what they possessed, while she gave from her need what she could have kept for herself, giving all she had to live on. Her all was two small coins, her whole living, and to part with them was to accept real privation. Giving them meant going without food and depriving herself of life's necessities and even its apparent necessities, though she was poor.
By contrast the gifts of the rich cost them no comfort or luxury, for they gave from abundance without giving up comforts, without sacrifice and without feeling want. While still having all that heart could wish, they denied themselves nothing, and their gifts were often given to gain honor from others. Jesus therefore reckoned her gift as more in God's sight than the large sums, worth more than the larger gifts and greater than gifts from abundance. He declared it the greatest offering cast into the treasury that day, greater than all who gave of their abundance.
The phrase for all her living can also describe borrowed land money as the lenders' entire living, so that to repay it would place them under severe pressure.
How God Measures Gifts
God measures a gift not by its amount, size, or monetary worth, but by its proportion to what the giver possesses and what it costs in sacrifice and self-denial. The widow gave all she had even though she was poor and her gift deprived her of life's necessities, while the rich gave from abundance without feeling want, and Christ valued her gift above larger offerings because of the proportion she gave and her motive. A poor person's small gift can therefore represent a greater sacrifice than a wealthy person's larger gift, and gifts are acceptable in keeping with the spirit that prompts them and the love and sacrifice behind them. Those who cannot give as much are to give what they can, forgoing something they could do without, for poverty does not excuse neglecting the duty to give, and faithful use of even a little can lay up treasure in heaven and help save souls.
He looks to the faith, love for God and interest in His work, and the unselfish and willing motive behind the gift. The value lay not in the small amount but in unselfish sacrifice and genuine, unwavering faith that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her need but would care for her and provide for her future. He looks to wholehearted, cheerful devotion and fidelity, including strict faithfulness to His requirements and heart principle, and it is heart service that makes the gift valuable. Little gifts and duties cheerfully done from a loving and faithful heart have great worth before Him even when people regard them as insignificant.
Therefore a poor person's smallest willing gift given from love is as acceptable as the largest gift from the rich, and the humble gift of the poor is not inferior to a wealthy person's larger offering. Smallness is no cause for rejection when a person does his best to the utmost of ability, and gifts of different sizes are accepted when given sincerely, willingly, and obediently, with even small offerings from every source to be carefully cherished. Even the smallest willing offering from a poor person is acceptable when given from love to Christ, for the gift is valued not by its amount but by the love that moves the sacrifice.
Jesus understood and commended her offering, and her unselfish motive, love, and faith won His commendation and made her offering precious to God. Gifts given by denying self for His cause are noticed by God whatever their amount, and He marks, accepts, and blesses such self-denying gifts however small and does not despise humble effort. Though the giver is ignorant and humble, if the heart overflows with love to God and duty is done to the best of ability, Heaven notices the effort. Wrongdoing by religious leaders in abusing and misapplying gifts could not take away God's blessing from the giver.
The disciples' forsaking of a few fishing boats and nets was accepted like the widow's mite because it was their all and was as dear to them as the riches of the wealthy are to the rich, and Christ does not reproach such givers for having forsaken but little. God does not make light of the small ability He has entrusted to ignorant and humble givers but expects it to be put out to use just as the larger talents are. When those who are poor embrace the truth and do to the very best of their ability, the heavenly Father sees when they have gone to the extent of their ability, and He will bring in other talents to carry forward His work. Those who so give in willingness of heart and love make the offering sweet and acceptable, and God will open ways before them and increase their talents, so that in faithfulness they will not rob God even in little things but will bear every responsibility to His glory and act like living soldiers of the cross in the work still to be done.
Widow's Faith and Love
She gave out of unselfish love and deep interest in the cause she loved, consecrating completely what she was able to give. The worth of her offering lay not in its small amount but in that love and unselfish motive, which made it precious and won commendation. She gave all she had to live on, while the rich gave from abundance without giving up comfort or luxury.
She acted with childlike, genuine, unwavering faith, trusting that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her need but would care for her and provide for her future. That trust remained even though her gift deprived her of food and of life's necessities and left her facing an uncertain future. By that proportion and motive of self-denial her gift was valued above larger offerings.
She gave willingly and with a willing heart, and her two small coins were precious because they were her all and cost real sacrifice. What she gave was her best, given wholeheartedly and with her whole heart. A small offering presented with cheerful gratitude from love is classed with hers and blessed, and God values the gift by the wholehearted, cheerful love with which it is given. Her thoughtful, willing offering is made fruitful and greatly increased in His hands in its work of mercy.
Her gift revealed heart principle, for she chose God's way and practiced His will rather than putting her own interests ahead of God's purposes. It shows strict faithfulness to His expressed requirements, with motive and principle noticed rather than mere size. Her small gift in this way displays self-denial and the Saviour's unselfishness, and gifts of different sizes are accepted when given sincerely, so that all can give in some measure.
By contrast, those who have abundance but give little in comparison withhold from God because they fear want and will not trust Him. She stinted herself to give her mite, and such a small offering given at personal cost is counted precious.
Lasting Influence and Reward
Though she did not know how far it would reach, her act has continued through the ages, inspiring many to generosity with results no one can measure. Its worth is seen in lasting influence for good, relieving the poor and helping spread the gospel and extend truth. That same influence has helped support missions, hospitals, care for the needy and sick, and preaching of the gospel, and in the day of God she will see the good her deed brought about. Her example also encourages others to give, including those so poor they can give only a small sum, and calls children to follow her by giving their mites and earning money in simple ways to help the needy.
Little gifts and duties cheerfully done from a loving and faithful heart have great worth before God even when people regard them as insignificant. Even small offerings given in self-denial can help save souls. A small offering given willingly and thoughtfully is accepted by the Lord and can be greatly increased in His hands.
Such sacrifice for God's cause brings a reward and lays up treasure in heaven. Those who cannot give largely are not excused but are to do what they can, denying themselves something they could do without, and like her they will actually give more than all who gave of abundance. A small gift given in sympathy and love can do good and receive a reward hereafter, as illustrated in self-denial in giving for the Lord's house, including setting aside money beyond the tithe to help pay its debt. Faithful use of even a little, with poverty no excuse for neglecting the duty to give, can lay up treasure in heaven.
Her giving is recorded by God as service to Christ, showing how every action, even one that appears small, matters in the judgment and contributes to the influence for which each person is accountable.
Call to Self-Denying Giving
Everyone entrusted with means is called to give in the same self-denying way as the widow, and poverty does not excuse neglect of this duty, for the poor have their part and must give what they can rather than excuse themselves because they cannot give largely. This means forgoing some article that could be done without and sacrificing for the cause, so that even a small gift given at personal cost lays up treasure in heaven. Giving is not a duty laid only on the rich, and faithful use of even a little is accepted.
Self-denial is to be practiced in the home by denying useless spending on dress and gratification and by saving through economy. Money often spent for self-gratification, for candy and other needless things, is to be laid aside for the Lord, with parents and children setting aside something regularly so there will be something to give when calls for help come. This includes paying a faithful tithe and also setting aside money beyond the tithe. Those who realize what Christ sacrificed for fallen man will need no appeals to be liberal, self-denying and self-sacrificing, but will make it a fixed principle to save from what they have so they always have something for the Lord's treasury.
Such gifts help pay church debts and the debt on the Lord's house, support missionaries in new fields, help the needy work such as the destitute people of the South, and supply the pennies needed for mission work. Children are to follow her example by giving their mites and earning money in simple ways to help the work for the needy in the South. They are to put into a collection box money that would otherwise be spent for candy and other needless things, make simple useful household articles and sell them while telling buyers of the work the money will support, and tell visitors who see the box the story of the effort to help, and in this willing self-denial they become fellow workers. Mothers are to teach children to save pennies and clothing for missionary work, which also gives protection against intemperance.
Giving is to be liberal and hearty even when the giver still has all the heart could wish, and small gifts given in sympathy and love can do good and receive a reward hereafter. Freewill giving is to be esteemed a privilege, and it is sweet to give to the needy, deny self, and sacrifice for the truth. The poor are as precious as the wealthy when willing and obedient, and a humble offering is accepted when it is all the giver can bring, encouraging those who give freely and cheerfully despite having little. Humble service likewise is not to be despised, for to every person is given his own work, whether humble service or powerful speaking, and everyone who stays in touch with Christ can minister in kindness and speak a timely word, with every sincere gift accepted whether pounds or only mites.
Offerings reveal the heart, for giving grudgingly or presenting what is lame, sick, or deficient shows a low view of sacred things. Giving calls for wholehearted consecration and stewardship, with money dedicated to the Lord rather than spent to gratify self, and its use treated as a matter for which account must be given. Money raised by enticing people through lavish, appetite-gratifying feasts is less acceptable than the widow's mite, while those who give from the heart in her spirit make even a simple offering valuable and precious under Heaven's blessing.
An Oakland widow who had no house or land and supported herself gave eighty dollars she had deliberately set aside for the cause, and her gift was praised as more than the gifts of the others because she gave from need and not from abundance. Poor widows and families who give from hard-earned means, even at the cost of their own comfort, give in faith and with joy to support the work of saving souls. A poor widow may give nearly all she has with gratitude, prayer, and trust, making a deeply self-sacrificing offering that stands as the model of giving that costs the giver something.
The rich put in from what they had left over, but the widow put in from her need everything she owned to live on. Her all was only two very small coins, and to give them left her without food and without what seemed necessary to live. Jesus counted her gift greater than all the large sums given that day. God does not measure a gift by its size or money value, but by its proportion to what the giver has and by the sacrifice, faith, love, and wholehearted willingness behind it. She gave in unselfish love with childlike trust that her Heavenly Father would care for her and supply her future need. Her example has kept working through the ages to relieve the poor, spread the truth, and save souls, and such self-denying giving lays up treasure in heaven.
Contrast Between Givers
The verse sets two kinds of giving side by side: the rich cast in out of their abundance, but the widow cast in out of her want all she had, even all her living. They gave only a small portion of what they possessed, while she gave from her need what she could have kept for herself, giving all she had to live on. Her all was two small coins, her whole living, and to part with them was to accept real privation. Giving them meant going without food and depriving herself of life's necessities and even its apparent necessities, though she was poor.
By contrast the gifts of the rich cost them no comfort or luxury, for they gave from abundance without giving up comforts, without sacrifice and without feeling want. While still having all that heart could wish, they denied themselves nothing, and their gifts were often given to gain honor from others. Jesus therefore reckoned her gift as more in God's sight than the large sums, worth more than the larger gifts and greater than gifts from abundance. He declared it the greatest offering cast into the treasury that day, greater than all who gave of their abundance.
The phrase for all her living can also describe borrowed land money as the lenders' entire living, so that to repay it would place them under severe pressure.
How God Measures Gifts
God measures a gift not by its amount, size, or monetary worth, but by its proportion to what the giver possesses and what it costs in sacrifice and self-denial. The widow gave all she had even though she was poor and her gift deprived her of life's necessities, while the rich gave from abundance without feeling want, and Christ valued her gift above larger offerings because of the proportion she gave and her motive. A poor person's small gift can therefore represent a greater sacrifice than a wealthy person's larger gift, and gifts are acceptable in keeping with the spirit that prompts them and the love and sacrifice behind them. Those who cannot give as much are to give what they can, forgoing something they could do without, for poverty does not excuse neglecting the duty to give, and faithful use of even a little can lay up treasure in heaven and help save souls.
He looks to the faith, love for God and interest in His work, and the unselfish and willing motive behind the gift. The value lay not in the small amount but in unselfish sacrifice and genuine, unwavering faith that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her need but would care for her and provide for her future. He looks to wholehearted, cheerful devotion and fidelity, including strict faithfulness to His requirements and heart principle, and it is heart service that makes the gift valuable. Little gifts and duties cheerfully done from a loving and faithful heart have great worth before Him even when people regard them as insignificant.
Therefore a poor person's smallest willing gift given from love is as acceptable as the largest gift from the rich, and the humble gift of the poor is not inferior to a wealthy person's larger offering. Smallness is no cause for rejection when a person does his best to the utmost of ability, and gifts of different sizes are accepted when given sincerely, willingly, and obediently, with even small offerings from every source to be carefully cherished. Even the smallest willing offering from a poor person is acceptable when given from love to Christ, for the gift is valued not by its amount but by the love that moves the sacrifice.
Jesus understood and commended her offering, and her unselfish motive, love, and faith won His commendation and made her offering precious to God. Gifts given by denying self for His cause are noticed by God whatever their amount, and He marks, accepts, and blesses such self-denying gifts however small and does not despise humble effort. Though the giver is ignorant and humble, if the heart overflows with love to God and duty is done to the best of ability, Heaven notices the effort. Wrongdoing by religious leaders in abusing and misapplying gifts could not take away God's blessing from the giver.
The disciples' forsaking of a few fishing boats and nets was accepted like the widow's mite because it was their all and was as dear to them as the riches of the wealthy are to the rich, and Christ does not reproach such givers for having forsaken but little. God does not make light of the small ability He has entrusted to ignorant and humble givers but expects it to be put out to use just as the larger talents are. When those who are poor embrace the truth and do to the very best of their ability, the heavenly Father sees when they have gone to the extent of their ability, and He will bring in other talents to carry forward His work. Those who so give in willingness of heart and love make the offering sweet and acceptable, and God will open ways before them and increase their talents, so that in faithfulness they will not rob God even in little things but will bear every responsibility to His glory and act like living soldiers of the cross in the work still to be done.
Widow's Faith and Love
She gave out of unselfish love and deep interest in the cause she loved, consecrating completely what she was able to give. The worth of her offering lay not in its small amount but in that love and unselfish motive, which made it precious and won commendation. She gave all she had to live on, while the rich gave from abundance without giving up comfort or luxury.
She acted with childlike, genuine, unwavering faith, trusting that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her need but would care for her and provide for her future. That trust remained even though her gift deprived her of food and of life's necessities and left her facing an uncertain future. By that proportion and motive of self-denial her gift was valued above larger offerings.
She gave willingly and with a willing heart, and her two small coins were precious because they were her all and cost real sacrifice. What she gave was her best, given wholeheartedly and with her whole heart. A small offering presented with cheerful gratitude from love is classed with hers and blessed, and God values the gift by the wholehearted, cheerful love with which it is given. Her thoughtful, willing offering is made fruitful and greatly increased in His hands in its work of mercy.
Her gift revealed heart principle, for she chose God's way and practiced His will rather than putting her own interests ahead of God's purposes. It shows strict faithfulness to His expressed requirements, with motive and principle noticed rather than mere size. Her small gift in this way displays self-denial and the Saviour's unselfishness, and gifts of different sizes are accepted when given sincerely, so that all can give in some measure.
By contrast, those who have abundance but give little in comparison withhold from God because they fear want and will not trust Him. She stinted herself to give her mite, and such a small offering given at personal cost is counted precious.
Lasting Influence and Reward
Though she did not know how far it would reach, her act has continued through the ages, inspiring many to generosity with results no one can measure. Its worth is seen in lasting influence for good, relieving the poor and helping spread the gospel and extend truth. That same influence has helped support missions, hospitals, care for the needy and sick, and preaching of the gospel, and in the day of God she will see the good her deed brought about. Her example also encourages others to give, including those so poor they can give only a small sum, and calls children to follow her by giving their mites and earning money in simple ways to help the needy.
Little gifts and duties cheerfully done from a loving and faithful heart have great worth before God even when people regard them as insignificant. Even small offerings given in self-denial can help save souls. A small offering given willingly and thoughtfully is accepted by the Lord and can be greatly increased in His hands.
Such sacrifice for God's cause brings a reward and lays up treasure in heaven. Those who cannot give largely are not excused but are to do what they can, denying themselves something they could do without, and like her they will actually give more than all who gave of abundance. A small gift given in sympathy and love can do good and receive a reward hereafter, as illustrated in self-denial in giving for the Lord's house, including setting aside money beyond the tithe to help pay its debt. Faithful use of even a little, with poverty no excuse for neglecting the duty to give, can lay up treasure in heaven.
Her giving is recorded by God as service to Christ, showing how every action, even one that appears small, matters in the judgment and contributes to the influence for which each person is accountable.
Call to Self-Denying Giving
Everyone entrusted with means is called to give in the same self-denying way as the widow, and poverty does not excuse neglect of this duty, for the poor have their part and must give what they can rather than excuse themselves because they cannot give largely. This means forgoing some article that could be done without and sacrificing for the cause, so that even a small gift given at personal cost lays up treasure in heaven. Giving is not a duty laid only on the rich, and faithful use of even a little is accepted.
Self-denial is to be practiced in the home by denying useless spending on dress and gratification and by saving through economy. Money often spent for self-gratification, for candy and other needless things, is to be laid aside for the Lord, with parents and children setting aside something regularly so there will be something to give when calls for help come. This includes paying a faithful tithe and also setting aside money beyond the tithe. Those who realize what Christ sacrificed for fallen man will need no appeals to be liberal, self-denying and self-sacrificing, but will make it a fixed principle to save from what they have so they always have something for the Lord's treasury.
Such gifts help pay church debts and the debt on the Lord's house, support missionaries in new fields, help the needy work such as the destitute people of the South, and supply the pennies needed for mission work. Children are to follow her example by giving their mites and earning money in simple ways to help the work for the needy in the South. They are to put into a collection box money that would otherwise be spent for candy and other needless things, make simple useful household articles and sell them while telling buyers of the work the money will support, and tell visitors who see the box the story of the effort to help, and in this willing self-denial they become fellow workers. Mothers are to teach children to save pennies and clothing for missionary work, which also gives protection against intemperance.
Giving is to be liberal and hearty even when the giver still has all the heart could wish, and small gifts given in sympathy and love can do good and receive a reward hereafter. Freewill giving is to be esteemed a privilege, and it is sweet to give to the needy, deny self, and sacrifice for the truth. The poor are as precious as the wealthy when willing and obedient, and a humble offering is accepted when it is all the giver can bring, encouraging those who give freely and cheerfully despite having little. Humble service likewise is not to be despised, for to every person is given his own work, whether humble service or powerful speaking, and everyone who stays in touch with Christ can minister in kindness and speak a timely word, with every sincere gift accepted whether pounds or only mites.
Offerings reveal the heart, for giving grudgingly or presenting what is lame, sick, or deficient shows a low view of sacred things. Giving calls for wholehearted consecration and stewardship, with money dedicated to the Lord rather than spent to gratify self, and its use treated as a matter for which account must be given. Money raised by enticing people through lavish, appetite-gratifying feasts is less acceptable than the widow's mite, while those who give from the heart in her spirit make even a simple offering valuable and precious under Heaven's blessing.
An Oakland widow who had no house or land and supported herself gave eighty dollars she had deliberately set aside for the cause, and her gift was praised as more than the gifts of the others because she gave from need and not from abundance. Poor widows and families who give from hard-earned means, even at the cost of their own comfort, give in faith and with joy to support the work of saving souls. A poor widow may give nearly all she has with gratitude, prayer, and trust, making a deeply self-sacrificing offering that stands as the model of giving that costs the giver something.