DAY 24 - God Notices What Others Miss
Read It
Mark 12:41-44
Study It
This story in Mark is about rich people giving large amounts of money at the temple. Along comes a poor widow and throws in two copper coins.
In this moment, Jesus gathered his disciples and said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out our of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.
I love that story for so many reasons. The first reason is because you and I see that God notices things that other people miss. Most people would make a big deal out of the big gifts that were given and just gloss over the smaller ones, but Jesus noticed her gift.
It makes me think, if Jesus was sitting and watching the treasury during this story…is He still sitting and watching the moments that you and I give today? It’s a sobering thought huh?
Today, it might seem like generosity only makes the news when it comes from CEOs or celebrities, but I can tell you right now that most of the Kingdom work is funded by ordinary people like you and me. So remember, no matter the amount, when you give, God pays attention.
The second reason I love this story is that it shows us that what Jesus considers impressive is not always what people consider impressive. The widow’s sacrifice was the headline of the story. It wasn’t the amount, but her attitude. When Paul later taught the church on how to give, he said we should give happily, not out of obligation, but out of joy. As you think about your own personal giving, remember the story of the widow.
Live It
Read It
Mark 12:41-44
Study It
This story in Mark is about rich people giving large amounts of money at the temple. Along comes a poor widow and throws in two copper coins.
In this moment, Jesus gathered his disciples and said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out our of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.
I love that story for so many reasons. The first reason is because you and I see that God notices things that other people miss. Most people would make a big deal out of the big gifts that were given and just gloss over the smaller ones, but Jesus noticed her gift.
It makes me think, if Jesus was sitting and watching the treasury during this story…is He still sitting and watching the moments that you and I give today? It’s a sobering thought huh?
Today, it might seem like generosity only makes the news when it comes from CEOs or celebrities, but I can tell you right now that most of the Kingdom work is funded by ordinary people like you and me. So remember, no matter the amount, when you give, God pays attention.
The second reason I love this story is that it shows us that what Jesus considers impressive is not always what people consider impressive. The widow’s sacrifice was the headline of the story. It wasn’t the amount, but her attitude. When Paul later taught the church on how to give, he said we should give happily, not out of obligation, but out of joy. As you think about your own personal giving, remember the story of the widow.
Live It
- How do you think your generosity, whether large or small by the world’s standards, can be used to make a difference for the Kingdom of God?
- How can your acts of generosity inspire other people to give so that their lives can make an impact for the Gospel?