Weekly Devotion
The Gospel for Sunday, November 8, is Mark 12:38-44.
Then (Jesus) called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this
poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
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.” (43-44)
New Testament scholar Marcus Borg identifies four types of faith in the Bible.
Faith can mean believing the right things about God, as in confessing the
church’s creedal formulas or keeping “the Faith.” It also means a
radical trust in God, a deep centering of oneself in God, and a vision of
reality that is life-giving and grace-filled. It is the last three
meanings of faith that are the most life-producing, resulting in a “deep
self-commitment to God and a willingness to spend and be spent.”
One often hears the story of “the widow’s mite” in Mark 12 hauled out at
stewardship time to inspire church members to dig deeper into their pockets and
give more. Look at the poor widow who gave everything she had to live on!
Surely we can do a little better in our giving to the church. And, while
that is certainly true, I think this use of the text misses the point.
Jesus does not denigrate the gift of those who give out of their abundance.
Even the smallest amount given by the wealthiest person to the deserving poor is
a worthy gift. The church is at its best when using its “treasury” to
feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, heal the sick, and promote justice in the
world. As a member of the ELCA, I am proud of the way this church responds
to the needs of others through programs like the World Hunger Appeal, Lutheran
World Relief, and Lutheran Disaster Response. Wealthy people giving out of
their abundance have always been the mainstay of the church’s response to
those in need. And, the needy, for the most part, are genuinely grateful.
But, there is more to this faith thing than just generosity. God doesn’t
need our money. God wants us heart, mind, and soul. Jesus marvels at
the widow’s faith; her radical trust in God, her deep level of
self-commitment, and her willingness to spend and be spent, giving everything
she had. There is joy in that like money cannot buy.
I want that. Don’t you?
Pastor Rob