“The Widow’s Mite…”
“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:43)
This is what John said about the people who believed on Jesus, but did not want to confess him… they were afraid they would be “kicked out the temple,” because they wanted the “praise of men” more than the praise of God. God wants us to do things in “secret,” and He will reward us openly before Him.
We are living in an “arrogant and boastful generation.” People want to be seen and known and want to do things to “be seen of men,” instead of doing things in secret to the praise of God.
My most valuable “thing” is a small coin that Bobby got when we visited Jerusalem years ago. It is so small that it would be hard to find if ever lost. It is smaller than a “contact lens.” It is called, “the widow’s mite.” Jesus stood in the temple watching the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. He probably felt disgusted…
When we were in Jerusalem, our guide told us that back in those days the widows should have gone to the back where the priests were, and they could have received some money from the priest. But the little widow woman didn’t want to be in the “receiving line.” She wanted to be in the “giving line.”
How often have we received small gifts from the poor, wrapped in aluminum foil, and carefully placed in an envelope for the poor in Haiti? One time, we received a letter from a poor widow that didn’t have enough for her envelope and postage, so she taped “some pennies on the outside” for the postmaster!
Then, he saw a poor widow woman casting in “two mites” (less than two pennies) … the rich men gave to be seen of men, but the widow didn’t want any praise. She just loved the Lord and “gave all that she had.” Jesus finished the story by saying that “the widow gave more than all of them” because “she gave all…” and she did it in secret…
Nothing goes unseen by Jesus. The smallest gift, the smallest sacrifice, the smallest deed of love, is without value to our Father!! God bless you and thank you, friends and partners, for every small act of kindness you will do today! Sherry