April 7

“Entering the Temple Jesus sat down opposite where the offerings were put in, He observed many rich people putting in large amounts of their wealth but a poor widow came up and put in two copper coins. Calling his disciples to him he said, ‘I tell you this widow has put in more than all those who are rich, for they have given out of their wealth but she in her poverty has put in all she had’.”  (Mark 12:41-44 NIV)

Going back to my previous devotion we see love for God in action. A widow, one who in Jewish society had no way of providing for herself gave all she had to live on! How we complain about having to give 20 dollars here and there and then worry about how we will survive? We should know God will always provide, but we lose focus on that all too easily when it comes to money. That is probably why the love of money is called the root of all evil, it causes us to put it before God and make it into an idol to be worshipped.

This widow kept her focus where it should be, on God. Therefore, she gave what she had left to live on. Out of love she gave sacrificially, assured that God would provide for her. We are all stewards in regards to our finances anyway. All that we have is given to us by God; it is His to begin with. He has simply entrusted it to us.

We show our love for God by what we do with our possessions and money. Do we glorify Him with what we have by giving it all back to Him like this widow or do we concern ourselves with getting more and more, never satisfied with what we have until we our consumed by it?