Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Luke 21 and Psalm 37

Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, ² and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. ³ He said, “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. ⁴ For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on.” (Good News translation)

The chapter division between Luke 20 and 21 seems to suggest that this is a brand new scene; but, in fact, Jesus was still seated in the outer court of the Temple where He had just warned His disciples against the self-importance, greed and hypocrisy of the teachers of the Law. Looking around, He noticed the poor widow, and He found in her a wonderful contrast to the teachers of the Law, and a wonderful example of the attitude of a Christ-follower.

This widow was humble, dropping her two small coins into the temple treasury without any show or ostentation. She was, at the same time, profoundly generous, giving all she had to live on that day and not holding anything back. She also seems to have only desired to please God , not to be noticed by others, and quietly put her offering in for her LORD, her Audience of One.

Whereas Jesus warned His disciples to “Beware of the teachers of the Law”, His admiration for the widow implies that He is saying, “Be like this humble, generous, God-pleasing widow!”

Life application: Whatever you do today, strive to live with humility and generosity in pursuit of the pleasure of your Audience of One.