What she was thinking.

Mark 12:42  And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 

 A penny in Greek was two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer).  

Luke 21:2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 

Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer).

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

Imagine, for a second, that  you are the widow.  The POOR widow.

You have faith in God.  He  has always provided everything you need, according to His riches.

Ephesians 3:16  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Philippians 4:19  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

You have faith in God, and you know that He supplies everything you need.   Times have been tough lately, though, and you have been having trouble making ends meet.  Rent is due, and the landlord is hassling you, threatening to kick you out if you don't pay by the end of the month.  The cupboards are bare.  Your kids are whining.  "Mommy, we're HUNGRY!'

And what do you do?

You put your trust in the Living God. 

He has always been faithful.

He has always provided EVERYTHING you need.

So you trust Him, and you GIVE those last two coins.  Each of them are worth about an eighth of a cent... together, they amount to a full quarter of a penny.

You give it.

Not out of your abundance, for you have very little.

You give it out of faith.

Faith in the God Who Sees.

Faith in the God Who Knows.

Faith in the God Who provides everything we need, according to His riches in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.

When you find yourself in dire circumstances, do you question the Lord of All?  Or do you remind yourself that He has a purpose and a plan for everything that happens to you?

Yes, God could have blessed that widow with riches. 

Instead, He blessed her with poverty.  He blessed her with two small coins, copper coins, worth 1/8th of a cent each. 

Jesus pointed her out.  Jesus taught a lesson, using the faith and generosity of that widow.  He compared her sacrifice to the offering of the rich, and He told the truth: SHE gave SO MUCH MORE, for she gave out of her poverty, while the rich gave a small portion of their abundance.

Are you poor?  Are you struggling? 

Don't think for a minute that God has abandoned you, that He is unaware of your circumstances.

He could be using your two tiny coins to teach timeless principles of sacrifice.

Trust Him!