One day the Lord Jesus saw the people putting gifts of money into the chest or treasury of the temple. The money was to be used to keep the temple in good repair and thereby honoring to God. Many who were rich put in much. Then a poor woman came and dropped in two small coins, called mites, which together were only the value of a farthing (English money), or a little more than one-half cent of our money.
We would think so small a gift would be of no help for the great temple, but notice what Jesus said to His disciples about it: “Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
What Jesus Values
Jesus often used the word “verily,” which means “it is true,” but it meant even more when used by Him. “Verily, I say unto you” meant that He spoke with authority to them as no one else could, and about an important matter. He knew that the people who put in much money had plenty left for their needs and their comforts. He also knew what others would not give. And He knew that the poor woman had nothing left, not even for her needs.
It is good to know that the Lord valued those two coins. We see that He really counts what is left more than what is given, and that true giving is to give what we might use for ourselves.
The woman could have kept one of the coins for herself, but she put in both, willingly. It is not that the Lord needs the gifts — all really belongs to Him — but He has always given His people the joy of sharing in what is for Him.
When King David collected the gold, silver, precious stones, marble, wood and other things to build the first temple to God, he said, “Now ... our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. ... All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee” (1 Chron. 29:13-1413Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. (1 Chronicles 29:13‑14)).
A Good Use of Money
In the time of the young king Jehoash, when the temple had been neglected, a chest was made ready with a hole bored in the cover for the people to put in gifts of money to repair it. Much money was put in, and the men in charge used it faithfully for material and for the workmen to make the repairs (2 Kings 12:9-159But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. 10And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the Lord. 11And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the Lord, 12And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord: 14But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord. 15Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully. (2 Kings 12:9‑15)).
Many boys and girls now have more coins than the poor woman. If they have first given their hearts to the Lord, they will find joy in giving for Him.
The giving of the poor widow seems to have been the only thing which the Lord Jesus could commend in His visit to the temple, where all should have been for God’s praise.
Further Meditation
1. What other scriptures deal with how to handle our finances?
2. Who else was commended for their use of money?
3. To dig deeper into this subject, you might read Christian Giving by A. P. Cecil and others.