Preaching text: 1 Kings 17:8-16, Mark 12:38-44
“For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
So ends the famous story of the widow’s mite. We’ve heard this tale of Jesus before. He is in the temple, watching the people come in and out, donating their tithes and offerings. Many wealthy people give generously (Good for them), and then comes this widow who gives her literal last two cents into the treasury. Jesus then commends her for this act.
The thing is we never ask why he is so impressed by this woman. The reason we never ask is because we think we already know the answer, but the problem is this is one of the most misunderstood passages in all of Scripture. We think this another story of sacrifice, like Jesus and the rich young man, who is commended to “sell all that (he) has, give to the poor, and then come follow me.” But it’s not that at all.
In fact, Jesus’ instructions to that rich young man give us a clue to his mindset. “Sell all and give to those who lack.” Give to the poor. Can you think of anywhere in Scripture where Jesus said that sort of thing to someone who was already poor? I’ll make it easy on you. You won’t, because it doesn’t exist. Jesus only ever asks that sort of sacrifice of those who have, never of those who have not.
This is not a story about sacrifice. But if it’s not that, what then is it about?
We get a clue in our Old Testament lesson. The prophet Elijah is traveling abroad in the midst of a horrific famine. He comes to the territory of Sidon, following God’s instruction, to the town of Zarephath. There, he encounters a starving widow. He asks her for some food. It’s easy to imagine her giving him some side eye as she says, “The only food I have is enough for one meal for my son and I before we starve and you want some of it?” The prophet then reassures her, that despite all appearances, her food will not run and she and her son will not starve. She then goes and does as he asks.
It’s not hard to guess what this Sidonese widow is thinking. Well, it’s all over anyway. Why not? What’s the hurt when we’re just going to die anyway? I have nothing to lose, so I will trust this stranger and his wild claims.
We have a phrase for that in our language. We call that a “leap of faith.”
And her faith is rewarded. She takes a chance on God and he does not let her down. The food does not run out. She, her son, and the prophet Elijah eat for many days on barely enough to provide a single meal. A miracle, but also a lesson.
Fast forward a few hundred years and we find ourselves back at the temple with Jesus and his disciples. It is, I believe, quite likely that this widow in this place and time is trying to emulate her Sidonese forebear. I have nothing to lose. I have nothing left but these two coins. So I will take a leap of faith and trust that God will provide.
It’s not a story about sacrifice; it’s a story about faith.
Scholars have noted the irony of someone impoverished putting money into the temple treasury, because that was the money the temple officials used to HELP the poor of the community (or, at least, that was what it was supposed to do.) By giving away her pittance, this widow is screaming out to the world, “Save me, because I cannot save myself.”
And boy, are there a lot of lessons in that.
This is why Jesus commends this woman so. She has placed her entire trust in God. That is faith. That is why we’re here. We come to this church each week to pray to God, “Save me, because I cannot save myself.” And we can’t.
The danger of wealth or strength or power or ego or any of the other idols we often bow to is that they trick us into forgetting this simple truth. “We don’t need God,” we lie to ourselves, “we have money or prestige or whatever.” That one of the key reasons Jesus asks the sacrifice of the wealthy and commends them to give away their riches. Not only will it do more work for the kingdom in supporting the poor, but it will pull those people away from its illusory safety and remind them of how much they really need God.
We all do, whether we know it or not, because we cannot save ourselves. Only Christ can. And Christ does because he loves us, giving his very life for our sake on the cross.
That may sound to us a bit like Elijah asking for a cake when we have nothing left: crazy, unrealistic, just nonsense. But we too are called as these widows were to take a leap of faith and trust in God. We are far from having nothing, but that does not mean we need God any less. Trust in him and he will save you. Amen.
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