Unsung Heroines-The Widow Who Gave Her Last Two Coins

Introduction: Some of us have heard the phrase, “the widow’s mite”. That phrase came from this passage! Jesus took notice what a certain widow did and her story is still being told to this day.

Text: Mark 12:41-44, KJV: 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Thoughts: This event is mentioned in two of the Gospels; Mark’s account here and Luke’s in Luke 21:1-4. In the context, the Lord has just finished dealing with a group of scribes (religious leaders) and, after this, He is sitting down. It could be He was taking a rest.

Then He noticed a widow woman, who had something to give as an offering. We’re not told anything about her, such as her age, how long she had been widowed, her home town, family if any, besides what she gave.

And what she gave is what the Lord noticed. These “two mites” were small coins of copper or brass, and not worth very much in terms of what you could buy with them. Estimates vary but it’s safe to say these two coins would be valued at less than one American penny.

That’s not much, except that it was for this woman! The Lord also noticed this was all that she had. Paraphrasing verse 44, the rich gave what they could spare, but this woman gave all she had even though that left her with nothing to spare.

It wasn’t the amount, but the attitude, which was important. Sure, she could have kept these coins to buy something (one wonders what!) but she chose to give what she had to the Lord. That’s what matters.

You and I may not be rich in terms of having plenty of money to give to this cause or that one. Praise the Lord if He has blessed you in that regard! Even so, many of us are not “rich” in the sense of having surplus to give. As I write this in spring 2022, inflation is rising, food and gasoline prices are going up with no end or relief in sight, and, humanly speaking, money just isn’t as worth as much as it used to be.

But whatever is given to the Lord is an investment in the Bank of Heaven and that which we give to the Lord will always be in good hands—His! This woman had faith and gave what she had. We’re still reading her story today. We too can trust the Lord like this unsung heroine, the widow who gave her last two little coins.

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).