Luke 21:1-4
“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
Jesus was watching the people putting their money into the temple treasury. As He watched, the rich cast in their gifts. Jesus said that their gifts were of their abundance.
Then, He watched the poor widow cast in two mites. Jesus was actually waiting for her to come. He said her gift was all the living she had. What a gift she gave! Compared with the abundance that the others brought, her two mites were much smaller. Two mites were not enough to buy a single sparrow. But, for this Jesus commended her. He even said that her two mites were more than what the others had given.
What was the poor widow thinking when she gave such a gift? Clearly, after having given all the living she had, and being a widow, she had nothing more to spend the rest of the day, and nobody to depend upon to meet her needs. Except for the Lord Himself! While some may say that this is not much assurance, they would be mistaken. There are many examples of people who have thrown themselves on the Lord and were blessed for doing so.
One was Rahab the harlot. In Joshua 2 the Israelites were preparing to attack Jericho at the Lord’s command. Two men were sent by Joshua to spy out the land. Rahab hid those men, and said to them, “…I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” (Joshua 2:9-13)
That was quite a request. But, Joshua 6:25 tells us, “And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.” Rahab believed what the Lord had told Israel concerning them taking the land. And when she appealed to the spies to spare her family, she was believing that the Lord would do what He said He would do, and wanted to be shown His mercy. In the middle of the fierce battle, which included the collapse of the city walls, on which her house was built (Joshua 2:15), she trusted the Lord. And she and her family were spared.
When she cast all the living she had into the temple treasury, the poor widow was similarly throwing herself on the Lord. She was trusting that He would take care of her. So, what did He do for her? Scripture does not say. Given what we know about God, His goodness and mercy and kindness, and with the example of Rahab in mind, there is no doubt that He took care of her.
In Matthew 6:30-33 Jesus said, “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
God knows what we need. This thought is also stated in Matthew 6:8, where Jesus said, “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
Of all the qualities that mankind may possess, God notices humility. For the most part, we are guilty of pride, and many scriptures speak against that. In Proverbs 29:23 Solomon wrote, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Humility pleases God because it leaves matters to Him. Humility reveals trust in God. Since He is all knowing, it is wise to leave matters to Him, just like the poor widow did.
Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Refrain
Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Brightly does His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I cannot fall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Refrain
Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger for Him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Refrain
Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till within the jasper wall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Refrain (Edgar P. Stites)
