the Widow’s Two Mites
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“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 Him 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 12:4
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When I first read this amazing story, I almost shed tears. I would have liked to have met this woman. To have known her, and learned from her. Or even just to have seen her.
How can a poor woman’s pennies be worth more than a rich man’s millions? How is it possible that pennies can be greater than dollars? For if the Christ had really needed the money, then more would surely have been better, and He would have said it was so, and requested that more be given. But evidently the Christ did not need the money, for anyone who can turn water into wine, could surely turn bread into money if He so willed – which He did not. And evidently, the Christ did not believe we needed more money either, or else He would have made more miracles of money – rather than miracles of healing.
Then why was there a treasury at all? The passage does not seem to say, and I do not know the heart of the Lord in this matter. But in my own heart, I believe that the treasury existed not for the Lord, but for Man. Giving to the treasury is not an opportunity to give to God, for God has no need of money. Giving to the treasury is an opportunity for Man to give to their fellow Man, and thus show their love for their neighbor, which is also love for God.
In our world, we are inclined to look up to those who have much, and look down upon those who have little. We instinctively are drawn towards wealth, and repelled by poverty. If most of us were forced to live either a life of wealth, or a life of poverty, most of us would choose wealth. Most of us would choose to be the rich man with his millions, and not the widow with her two mites. Wealth means security, power, freedom, and comfort. And so we wish to have wealth for ourselves and those we love. And we believe that we can only give to others if we have more than enough wealth for ourselves. We believe we need abundance in order to share.
But it matters not how much you have in this life, but how much you give of what you have. This is why a poor woman who seems to have nothing can be richer than a rich man who seems to have everything. She gives her all, while others put forth only a share. And so it is that a poor woman can be rich in spirit, and a rich man can be poor in spirit. For even as there were many who gave much to Jesus’ treasury, it is only the poor woman’s two mites that have been remembered throughout the ages and become part of the Word.
So judge not, respect not, praise not a man simply because he has money or power. And neither judge, respect, nor praise the man who has neither money nor power. For I believe that both men are equal in the eyes of God, because both have the same opportunity to give to their fellow man. A man is not a man because of his money or power. A man is as his heart and soul are, and it is from there that he gives or takes of everything in his life. And it is there, that other men know him for who he truly is.
And I, to be honest, I used to believe that they who sought after wealth were selfish, greedy, unkind, and insensitive. How could they seek to gain more for themselves while so many of their fellow men struggle on the edge of survival? But now I believe that compassion and understanding should be extended to both the rich and poor alike. For most people who desire wealth, only desire it because they feel so poor themselves. They who seek wealth, feel they are in poverty, and hope the wealth can fill their poverty. They who seek power, feel powerless, and hope the power can make them powerful. And because both of these seek their wealth and power in the outside world, they do not discover the true wealth and power inside themselves.
And so it is that the wealthy are often the truly poor in spirit, and a million dollars can be nothing, while two mites can be everything. For those who seem to have everything in the world, are actually very close to having nothing. Without wealth, such a man will feel he is nothing and nobody – and so he needs wealth, and depends on it to be who he is. He will think money is nearly everything. This is why he holds onto his wealth as if for dear life – because it has become his life. But those who seem to have nothing in the world, are the closest to having everything. For they who have no money to give, can only give of their heart and soul. It is only when you turn away from the riches of the world, that you give yourself the opportunity to turn within yourself and discover the riches of your heart and soul, and of heaven – the true sources of abundance.
And so you need not accomplish much in the outside world to follow the heart of God. You need not amass riches, kingdoms, or followers. You need only discover what you have inside yourself, and share of that. Be of that. If you feel poor, it is only because you do not know how rich you are. It has been said in other places, “If little has been given, then little is required; if much has been given, then much is required.” But I believe that all of us have been given much. For what a man has, is not just limited to his money, power, or talents. For a man owns not just money, but he also owns time, love, respect, knowledge, wisdom, courage, truth, and much more - and these too he can share with his fellow men. For just as God, for love of Man, gave Man of these gifts, so too can Man, for love of God and Man, give to his fellow men. And if a man thinks the most important thing he can share is his money, then that man must truly feel poor in spirit. For such a man does not know the value of the great gifts that God has given to him within his heart and soul.
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