A Serving Leadership Insight from the Life of Jesus Christ (Mark 12:41-44)

“…Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents….Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’” (See Mark 12:41-44 for full text)

In Mark 12:41–44, Jesus commended a poor widow for her sacrificial giving in contrast to the religious hypocrisy of the teachers of the law. In his words, “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” It’s easy to give out of one’s wealth, but it’s another thing to empty one’s pockets with no security to fall back on. Both motive and means qualify one’s generosity. The wealthy gave out of their abundance to impress, whereas the poor widow yielded her entire livelihood in an act of ultimate devotion to God. She gave in good faith, even though her money most likely would be wasted by the officials who managed the temple wealth. By drawing attention to the poor widow, Jesus also foreshadowed his sacrificial death at Calvary. Unlike the teachers of the law, serving leaders ought to alleviate the social injustices suffered by those like this widow by sacrificially giving their all.

KEY QUESTIONS: What are my motives when I give? Am I naturally generous or do I tend toward stinginess? Have I ever given to impress? What are some practical ways I could give sacrificially without anyone ever finding out?