The Bible Story of the Widow's Mite

The story of the widow’s mite teaches some very important lessons about giving. As followers of Christ, it is fundamental to our walk with God to give. After all, God is a giver. However, what we find in this story is that the heart you give with is far more important than the amount you give. There are four lessons that I will share later that we can learn about giving from these short verses.

Where Is the Story of the Widow's Mite in the Bible?

The account of the widow’s mite is found in two gospels, and both are almost identical. You can find it in Luke 21:1-4 or Mark 12:41-44. Allow me to share with you the version in Mark.

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” - Mark 12:41-44 (NKJV)

In this story, we find Jesus as an observer, watching as the people gave. He is sitting opposite the treasury in the Temple in Jerusalem. The treasury was made up of thirteen trumpet-shaped chests which were used to collect the offerings of the people. It was in what is known as the Court of Women. This court was beyond the Court of the Gentiles and was the outermost court once you entered the temple. Though named the Court of Women, it was not reserved just for women. Men and women could access this court; however, women could not typically go beyond this court. For this reason, it became a perfect place to collect offerings because both men and women could enter the court to bring their offerings.  

As the people are giving, Jesus focuses on two things, one more important than the other. He noticed the amounts people were giving (less important), and he noticed the heart they were giving with (more important). This story also shows Jesus’ ability to see the hearts of men. 

In my imagination, as I picture this story, I can almost see those who were giving very large amounts doing so with great pride as they placed their offering in the treasury. By contrast, I can also picture this widow, humbled and possibly even embarrassed as she placed her small and seemingly insignificant offering into the treasury. That’s why for Jesus to say she gave more than everyone else is such a shocking statement because she only gave two mites.

How much is a Mite Worth?

During this time in biblical history, one common measure of money was a denarius. This represented about one day’s wage for a worker and would be able to provide a worker’s basic needs. While this may have provided basic needs, this person was not living in the lap of luxury. By comparison, the mite was smaller than that. It represented 1/64 of a day’s wage. 

For those of you who don’t like dealing with fractions, let’s put this into a different perspective using today’s numbers. In the state I live in, the minimum wage is $16.94 per hour. We’ll use $17 to make the math easy. That means a person working eight hours a day would make $136 a day. If we converted that into mites, then this person would be working for twenty-seven cents per hour, and a full day would earn them approximately $2.15. In this example, the total value of the offering the widow gave was roughly 54 cents. While this is only for illustrative purposes and not the actual value of a denarius, you can see that there is not much you would be able to do with two mites. Yet with that being the case, this widow took all she had and placed it into the treasury. 

What Does the Story of the Widow’s Mite Teach Us about Giving? 

As I stated earlier, as followers of Christ, we are instructed to give to support God’s work. While we don’t give in temples, many of us give to our local church and even to other organizations. I believe there are four attitudes required for us to give in a manner that honors God.

1. Generosity

The first attitude necessary in giving is generosity. A generous giver is one who gives because they see the need and they want to help. True generosity is not about fanfare or recognition. In Matthew 6, Jesus warns about those who are hypocritical in their giving. These types of people are not giving because they are generous or even truly care about the situation. They are giving only to be seen and honored by others. Jesus says those who give in this manner are not only hypocrites, but they have received their reward in full. The rich people who put a lot of money into the treasury were not generous even though they gave large gifts. Their giving was not sincere in response to the need, but was about being seen. Besides that, their gift meant nothing to them because there was no sacrifice in their offering. While they may have received the applause of men for giving, they surely missed the applause of God.

2. Obedience

The second attitude required in giving is obedience. For the widow, giving was an act of obedience because, according to the Old Testament law, God's people were required to give.

"Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord." - Deuteronomy 12:11

Giving always has been and always will be an act of obedience. While people may debate on determining the amount we should give, there should be no debate that when we give, we are obeying God’s command. One important New Testament command on giving is found in Corinthians.

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7

This is a further reminder that giving that pleases God is more about the condition of the heart than the amount of the gift.

3. Acknowledgment

The third attitude required in giving is acknowledgment. This is a recognition that everything you have comes from God. By giving, you are simply giving back a small portion of what he has given you. If we are not careful, we can fall into the trap of believing that everything we have is simply the byproduct of our own hands. This can lead to a foolish belief that we are self-sufficient. The truth is, we are not, and God empowers us to work, and he is our provider. He uses our gifts and talents and provides jobs as a resource for our provision, but ultimately, he is the source of everything we have. Giving back to him is one way of acknowledging that.

4. Trust

The fourth attitude required in giving is trust. The widow displayed this attitude far more than any of the rich people who were giving. The rich people were giving out of their abundance, which means they had plenty leftover even after they gave. That was not the case with this poor widow. What she had could not buy much or support herself, yet she gave all she had. This was an incredible act of trust. Sometimes I wonder if I would do the same thing if I were in her situation. When we give, we are trusting God to make up any differences. This does not mean if you give a dollar, God is going to give you back one hundred dollars. It means when you trust God with your giving, he will take care of you.

If you walk away with anything from this story, let it be this: your heart matters in giving. So, before you give, always make sure your heart is in the right place. If it’s not, then ask God to give you the right heart for giving. 

Finally, I know sometimes it can be hard to trust God in giving. I have been there more times than I would like to admit. However, we can be sure that God will provide for us when we give. Just be certain you are giving willingly and not under compulsion or any false pretense of blessing. When you give with the right attitude, you will find blessing in the giving, and you will discover that God will provide for all your needs.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/ironrodart

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a dynamic speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club, dedicated to helping people live with purpose and clarity. In addition to his ministry work, Clarence has spent the last 13 years as a trusted financial educator, guiding thousands of people across the country—including employees at many Fortune 500 companies—toward lasting financial wellness. His unique ability to blend practical wisdom with spiritual insight equips people to thrive in every area of life.

He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.