25 Nov • The widow's mite reconsidered

Jesus noticed a widow putting a small amount of money oint he temple treasury and told his disciples that she has put in more than all the rich people because she has given all she has to live on. In the context of Luke's Gospel we see that Jesus was not so much praising her generosity as he was condemning the temple system that rested on the backs of the poor "devours the houses of widows." The Good News for us is that God is not asking us to kill ourselves in helping others, but to do what we can with the riches given to us.

Based on Luke 21:1-4:

Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’

(New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org)