The Widow's Offering

These are the words I spoke at Vibrant as I led the congregation into Communion.

Mark 12:41-44 The Widow’s Offering
Also Luke 21:1-4


Vs. 41: Jesus sat down near the collection box in the temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money.

I can imagine the hustle and bustle of temple life, people coming and going, rich and poor, men and women. Jesus had been teaching all day, often being confronted by religious leaders. I can imagine that he’d be tired and frustrated. At this point, if I were Jesus, I’d be in my head, thinking of what I’d say next or how I’d get through to these ignorant people. Maybe I’d need to go off by myself for a while to cool off and recollect myself. But not Jesus. Not in this situation. Jesus is completely aware of what is going on around him. He is present and active in the moment. He sits and watches. He notices.

What he saw was a woman who gave everything she had to God… and the affluent religious leaders supporting a system that exploited her. There is no mistake or possible misinterpretation in the scriptures regarding God’s call for us to serve and take care of the widow and the orphan, yet the power, wealth, and influence in the temple actively took advantage of the poor.

I honestly never looked at this passage through the eyes of injustice, yet it seemed so obvious; how could I have missed it.

I believe this passage, this story, is infuriating to Jesus. Here is a woman who loves God more than her own comfort and wellbeing. She has the kind of devotion that we strive for and that he calls us into. Jesus has nothing but love for this simple, generous woman, who has no doubt seen much hardship. Jesus watches as the daughter he loves is cast aside and caused to suffer as she gives away the last of her resources.

I felt like God was calling me to look at this passage from Jesus’ perspective, a seat that I don’t usually take. I was drawn to the first sentence of this passage. He never would have saw this story unfold if he hadn’t stopped long enough to notice.

A friend of mine, who works for an organization called Mission Year, sends out a newsletter each month. The same day I was studying this passage, I also read his newsletter, and the passage he used was the Widow’s Offering. This seemed a little too perfect to be a coincidence, so I wanted to share his letter with you.

03/10/10 | Lifestyle of Offering
Dear Friends,
What do you think would happen if you gave a homeless man $250? Our team members in Houston recently found out.

They first met Don on a Sunday afternoon in the park. With friends at their church, our team members spend many Sundays at a local park, sharing home-cooked food. It isn’t a feeding program exactly, but more of a family meal with brothers and sisters who don’t have homes. They call it Simple Feast. Don is a regular, never without his sketchpad and pencil.

Early in her Mission Year, Sarah noticed that Don appeared to be sketching her and her teammate Andy while they patiently listened to the long, rambling story of another Simple Feast friend. Later, he approached her and gently offered his drawing. It turned out that Don was not only a talented artist; he was a kind and thoughtful friend as well. Before long, Don was a regular at the Mission Year team’s house, stopping by to play a board game, share a snack, or just talk.

Since their church has an art gallery, Sarah and Andy eventually arranged for Don to display some of his drawings at the church. A few pieces of his art were sold, totaling $250 that went directly to Don. So what did he do? Don promptly donated it all back to the church. Really.

"When Don gave that money," Sarah said, "I was so humbled that it brought tears to my eyes. I don't think I would have done the same. I probably would have kept some of the money for myself, justifying it by the fact that art supplies cost money. But Don, who has so little, gave everything. It was so beautiful."

Leroy

I believe this is an example of what Jesus wants to see. Sarah and her friends noticed Don. They were Jesus in that moment. The cool thing is Jesus was Don as well. Sarah and her friends saw Jesus in Don.

Jesus calls us to notice. Then he calls us to participate. Just like at the last supper he asked his disciples to notice the bread and the wine. He took the bread and he broke it. “This is my body broken for you.” In the same way, he took the cup, saying “This is my blood poured out for you.” Then he asked them to participate. “Eat this bread and drink this wine. Do this in remembrance of me.”