The Poor Woman Who Gave All She Had

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Along with her unnamed spiritual sister in Mark 14:3-9, the poor widow of 12:41-44 has been immortalized wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed. Why? Because in both instances the women gave what they could to honor the Lord. One’s gift was actually large and costly. The other’s was small and worth almost nothing. Yet the issue in both instances is not what they gave but why they gave. In both instances the issue is the heart. On the topic of money, two truths are certain: the Bible has a lot to say about it, and most people don’t like to hear what the Bible says about it. Yet we desperately need to hear it because, as Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21). Clearly the poor widow of this text had her heart in the right place. Unfortunately, many others did not. We will note two overarching truths. Then we will construct a biblical theology of what I love to call “the grace of giving.”

Jesus Sees What We Give

Mark 12:41-42

The preceding paragraph mentioned widows as the object of religious exploitation (v. 40). The simple piety of this “poor widow” stands in stark contrast to the self-centered ambition of the scribes. She also must be contrasted with the rich young ruler (10:17-31) who loved his money more than he loved God. In this lady we find a marvelous example of one who “love[s] the Lord [her] God with all [her] heart, with all [her] soul, with all [her]300 mind, and with all [her] strength” (12:30). Further, “The elevation of the simple woman to such an exemplary place captures the essence of Jesus’ words that in God’s judgment ‘many who are ... last [will be] first’ (10:31)” (Hurtado, Mark, 207).

The scene has shifted to the court of the women and the temple treasury where 13 shofar chests were located for the various offerings. Jesus takes a seat and watches.

Some Give a Lot Because They Have a Lot (Mark 12:41)

Jesus “watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury,” into the trumpet-like receptacles. The more you gave, the bigger the noise you would make, and of course the greater the attention you would draw.

Jesus watched as “many rich people were putting in large sums.” The rich, the powerful, and the influential gave a lot because they had a lot. No doubt the crowds watching would have been impressed. But what about Jesus?

Some Give Their All Though They Have Little (Mark 12:42)

Our Lord always has an eye for the individual. He hears the cry of the blind beggar Bartimaeus when no one else does (10:46-52). Now He sees the generous and sacrificial gift of a poor widow when no one else sees a thing.

No doubt she came alone, quietly hoping no one would notice her. Being poor and a widow and a woman, she was the least of the least in the cultural context of the day. All she deposited into the treasury were “two tiny coins worth very little.” The “coins” (Gk lepta) were the smallest bronze coin in circulation in Palestine. Two of them equaled 1/64 of a Roman denarius, a day’s wage for a typical laborer. As far as what her gift could purchase, she might as well have given nothing. However, as 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” Jesus knew (supernaturally) that she gave all she had! And even though it was little in man’s eyes, it was a lot in God’s eyes!

Jesus Knows Why We Give

Mark 12:43-44

With piercing divine insight Jesus saw both the gift and the heart, both the act and the motive behind the act. He knew those who gave only because others were watching, and He knew those who would have given if no one301 was watching. And then He once again turns the value system of the world on its head.

Sacrificial Giving Honors Christ Even If the Amount Is Small (Mark 12:43-44)

Jesus calls the disciples; it is teaching time again! Our Lord prefaces His remarks with amen, “I assure you,” a word appearing 13 times in Mark. It adds weight and importance to what Jesus is about to say. It has the ring of divine authority!

He begins and ends by commending not the rich but the poor. Why? Because “she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed—all she had to live on.” She had two coins, so she could have kept one, but she didn’t. She gave her all. The amount was not large, but the sacrifice was great.

Comfortable Giving Honors No One Even If the Amount Is Large (Mark 12:43-44)

Jesus had not failed to see the others. It was simply that the others “gave out of their surplus” (v. 44). Their giving was not sacrificial, it was comfortable. Did they truly give God their best? No, they gave to an institution (and a corrupt one at that) what was easy and convenient. Jesus was not impressed. Warren Wiersbe captures it well: “The rich made a big production out of their giving (see Matt 6:1-4), but Jesus rejected them and their gifts. It is not the portion but the proportion that is important: the rich gave out of their abundance, but the poor widow gave all she had. For the rich, their gifts were a small contribution, but for the widow, her gift was a true consecration of her whole life” (Wiersbe, Be Diligent, 120).

William Kelly said, “The test of liberality is not what is given, but what is left” (Hiebert, Mark, 363). The poor widow’s sacrificial giving was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own: she gave all she had, and so would He!

Now, I want to be practical and helpful as we consider what the Bible has to say about money. I hope this overview will inspire both faith and generosity! I am especially indebted to pastors John MacArthur and John Morgan for much of what I have learned in this area.

First, what is God’s purpose for money? All of our needs are purposed by God to help us experience spiritual growth in Christlikeness. Money is used by God in supplying our needs. Therefore, God’s ultimate purpose for money is spiritual growth. Note the following six purposes God has for money.

1. 302God wants to grow us spiritually by growing our faith (Luke 6:38; Phil 4:19).
2. God wants to finance His earthly ministry through us for His glory and our good (Mal 3:10).
3. God wants to unite Christians who have needs with those who have surplus (2 Cor 8:14-15).
4. God wants to reveal clearly His infinite power (Deut 8:18).
5. God wants to help give direction in our lives (Prov 3:5-6).
6. God wants to fulfill His promise to supply our needs (Matt 6:31-33; Phil 4:19).

Christian financial advisor Ron Blue helps us see the impact of embracing God’s purposes for money:

Very few Christians would argue with the principle that God owns it all, and yet if we follow that principle to its natural conclusion, there are three revolutionary implications. First of all, God has the right to whatever He wants whenever He wants it....

If I really believe that God owns it all then when I lose any possessions, for whatever reason, my emotions may cry out, but my mind and spirit have not the slightest question as to the right of God to take whatever He wants whenever He wants it. Really believing this also frees me to give generously of God’s resources to God’s purposes and His people. All that I have belongs to Him.

The second implication of God’s owning it all is that not only is my giving decision a spiritual decision, but every spending decision is a spiritual decision.... As a steward, I have a great deal of latitude, but I am still responsible to the Owner. Someday I will give an accounting of how I used His property.

The third implication of the truth that God owns it all is that you can’t fake stewardship.... A person who has been a Christian for even a short while can fake prayer, Bible study, evangelism, going to church, and so on, but he can’t fake what his checkbook reveals. (Blue, Master, 22-23; emphasis in original)

Second, what is financial bondage? When even the smallest area of our financial life obstructs God’s will in our life, we enter into financial bondage and the sin of idolatry. You are in financial bondage when

1. you have more faith in your material goods than in your eternal God (Job 31:24-28; Matt 6:19-20);
2. you place any desire or motive above those of God (1 Tim 6:8-9);
3. you have a burning desire to get rich quick (Prov 28:20, 22);
4. 303you have to delay paying due bills (Prov 22:7);
5. you compromise your Christian ethic and fail to honor a moral obligation (Jas 5:4);
6. you fail to make investments for future needs (Matt 25:14-30);
7. you force your wife to work in order to provide basic needs (1 Tim 5:8);
8. you do not give from a willing and cheerful heart (2 Cor 9:7).

Third, exactly what is “The Grace of Giving”? Giving of our resources to the work of the Lord, in gratitude for all God has given us in Christ, is a wonderful privilege. It is simply giving in response to God’s grace. Grace giving allows us to

1. demonstrate our love and devotion to the Lord Jesus and His church;
2. acknowledge that all we are and have is the result of His gracious activity in our lives;
3. testify to our faith in God that as we give out of our God-given resources, He will bless us and meet every need that we may perform His perfect will.

Grace Giving

Giving is an act of worship. In the Word of God, numerous truths are set forth to help us in our understanding of grace giving (what also can be called Christian stewardship):

I. Grace Giving Is Guided by a Proper Perspective.

A. All that I am belongs to God (1 Cor 6:19-20). We are not only dependent on God but also owned by Him. The price He paid to purchase us was the precious blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus.

B. All that is belongs to God (Pss 24:1; 50:10-12; Hag 2:8). We are accustomed to thinking and speaking of “our” possessions. The things we possess are not really ours; they are God’s.

C. God has entrusted His possessions to me (1 Cor 3:21-23; 4:1-2; 9:17). The custodial nature of our stewardship of God’s possessions suggests that they should ultimately be transferred to another trustworthy steward (either an individual or an institution) so that they can continue to be used for God’s purposes.

D. God’s possessions entrusted to me have a purpose. (1) God’s assets meet personal needs (Phil 4:13, 19). They are intended for our support, as well as for those dependent on us. Paul warned, “But if any one does not provide304 for his own, that is his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8).

(2) God’s assets build and glorify God’s kingdom through me (Col 3:23-24). How we apply them is a matter of individual judgment and prayer since we alone are accountable to the Lord. Our accountability also extends into eternity.

As stewards, we have been given the privilege of arranging for God’s assets to flourish well beyond our years. We can stand with Abel, who “offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through faith” (Heb 11:4).

II. Grace Giving Is to Be Guided by Proper Principles

A. Giving is to be viewed as investing with God (Matt 6:19-21; Luke 6:38). We get a return that will last eternally. When we invest money in what is perishable, we are consumed with maintaining what we have. But when we invest with God, it unburdens us and deepens our relationship with Him.

B. If you cannot handle money, you will not be able to handle spiritual riches either (Luke 16:11). How we manage money is usually a reflection of our spiritual maturity and faith in God. God has said He will meet our needs when we give (Phil 4:14-20). If we don’t give, then we in essence call God a liar, which is a much more serious spiritual problem.

C. Giving is to be sacrificial (Mark 12:42-44; 2 Cor 8:1-3). Jesus noticed the woman who truly gave sacrificially, for she gave all she had. The essence of giving is sacrifice (cf. Gen 22). What does this teach us? Should we give one-tenth? No, we are to give sacrificially. True sacrificial giving is when we do without something we would otherwise have so that God’s work will be advanced.

D. Giving is not just a matter of what we have (Luke 16:10). Faithfulness is what pleases God. You do not have to possess a large amount to be sacrificial.

E. Each individual determines the amount to give (Luke 19:8). Giving is to be a worshipful and happy action of love and gratitude to a wonderful God. It is not the keeping of some law or tradition. Some people rigidly and mechanically give 10 percent. Others give only in a token fashion with no real thought. This is not God’s way. Your giving should be done in an attitude of prayer and spiritual contemplation, asking the Father what He would have you to do each and every time.

F. Giving can be in response to a need (spontaneous and special; Acts 2:42-47; 11:27-30; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Phil 4:14-20). If a man comes to you with a need and you can help meet it, it is your Christian responsibility to do so. Give to the305 Lord regularly out of gratitude and joy, but also give in response to specific needs.

G. Giving should demonstrate love, not law (2 Cor 8:8). Love and gratitude to God for who He is and what He has done is the fountain out of which grace giving is to flow.

H. Giving should be planned (1 Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 8:6-7). Giving should not be haphazard but planned in an orderly fashion. We are to give regularly so that churches can meet needs as they arise, rather than always pleading for additional money through special offerings. Giving is to be done systematically, proportionately, faithfully, as you have determined in your heart. You are to plan, pray, and prepare.

Some people say they give their time and talent to the church rather than their money. It is a fine and right thing to give those, but it does not replace giving money. It is God’s way of teaching you stewardship each week of your entire life.

I. Giving is to be generous (2 Cor 8:2-3; Phil 4:14-20). As Christ has given to us, so should we give. Bow your knee, look to the cross, and then give.

J. Giving is to be joyful (2 Cor 9:7). Our attitude in giving is as important to our Lord as the act of giving itself. The absence of joy in giving is evidence of a deeper spiritual problem, which invalidates our offering.

K. Giving is to be complete (2 Cor 8:5). Total discipleship extends far beyond our financial giving to God. The New Testament clearly teaches total commitment in all areas of our lives. Overemphasizing the tithe has caused us to miss this important truth.

L. Giving biblically always results in God’s blessings (Acts 20:35; 2 Cor 9:6-11; Phil 4:19). Being obedient to the Word of God will always open the way for His blessings to be experienced.

III. Grace Giving Is to Be Guided by Proper Practice

Faith must have feet! We must act in obedience to see God work in our lives. If you have been delinquent in the past, remember: it is never too late to begin doing the right thing!

Conclusion

Biblical and spiritual giving is the act of giving one’s self and all that one has completely to God by a voluntary act that flows out of a thankful and grateful heart. It is motivated by a sincere understanding that everything belongs to God and that He is the source of every blessing (1 Chr 29:14; Ps 50:9-12). It is also motivated by gratitude for what God has done for us in Christ (2 Cor 8:8-9; 9:15). By returning a portion of that blessing to God,306 the believer acknowledges that he has received God’s blessing and that he is truly grateful.

The times of Israel’s greatest spiritual fervor and the church’s greatest impact on society are the times of their greatest sacrificial giving. This indicates that there is a correlation between the spiritual state of true believers and their willingness to be involved in sacrificial giving. In practice, the tithe (10 percent) is a good place to begin one’s financial service and worship unto God. It is, however, a bad place to stop. God wants us to grow in all areas of our Christian life, including giving. As we look to Him in faith, as we look to the cross and give, He will, in this area, do through us and for us far beyond that which we could ever hope or imagine. In light of God’s indescribable gift of His Son Jesus (2 Cor 9:15), it is hard to imagine doing anything less. God gave His all. He gave His best. So should we.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why does the Bible have a lot to say about money and our attitude toward it?
2. What is the significance that the focus of Jesus’ attention was a poor widow?
3. What is the purpose of giving an offering? Who are the various parties that benefit? Does your pastor’s salary each week have any connection to the amount of the offering?
4. What is the danger in focusing on what benefit you can receive by giving an offering? What is the counterfeit benefit, and what is the true benefit?
5. How would you respond to a preacher or teacher who told you there was a certain percentage that you should give in order to receive a blessing?
6. How can knowing God’s purposes for money help us to avoid loving money?
7. Does sacrificial giving obligate God to bless us? Does faithfulness?
8. Which is the first priority: providing for oneself and one’s family, or supporting God’s work? In what scenario might these things come into conflict?
9. How might a person who gives 10 percent every week fail to please God?
10. What part does faith play in giving and in the blessing received? What part does gratitude play?