All She Had to Live On

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Luke 21:1-4

Throughout the past couple years, you might be hard pressed to tune into any news program without being met by a cautionary tale of a family in debt, or a list of the things you must do today to save for retirement. In this world of stockpiling or even just saving for a rainy day, this widow’s act in giving everything she had seems out of the question.

We hear of entrepreneurs who give great gifts out of their abundance, but not tales of people giving everything they own. Honestly, the whole idea of giving all I have makes my stomach a little queasy. I have four children and I am a planner. I want to know where our next meal, or our next fifty, is coming from. I can learn something from the widow in today’s reading.

This is a woman whose trust was so fully entrenched in the God of the heavens and the earth that she gave all she had, everything. I can scarcely imagine that kind of trust. A true “Give me this day my daily bread,” trust. With only two coins to her name, I can imagine her praying those same words in earnest and seeing God’s faithfulness day after day.

I have read her story and countless others where God is more than faithful in meeting the needs of his people. I have read these stories and still I doubt. Still I rely on myself instead of God.

I am not down to my last two coins. I have more clothes than I wear, own more videos than I watch, and place more food on the table than I can eat. Still, I pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and then doubt that He will actually do it.

I believe, help my unbelief.

Creator and Sustainer of Life,

Give me this day my daily bread. Help me to trust in you to do the exact same thing tomorrow. Show me where I can give to others and enable me to do so always in thankfulness to you for the gift of Jesus who gave everything he had for me. Amen.

*If God has given you time, talents, or treasures in abundance, I encourage you to be the answer to someone else’s prayer this weekend. Seek out a family that needs a little extra at the grocery store, invite your older neighbor over for supper, or do a chore at home that you know your spouse dreads. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!