Tag: Mark 12:43-44

Four scenes showing the Last Supper, Jesus entering Jerusalem, carrying the cross, and crucifixion.

Summer Reruns: A Fresh Look at Generosity

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Jesus’ final week on earth before going to the cross was busy. He was in the temple almost every day teaching and preaching and engaging with the Jewish religious authorities who were trying desperately to undermine Him in any way they could. Amid all of this commotion, though, Jesus found a few quiet moments to just sit in the temple complex with His disciples, observing the passing scene. As He looked across the great courtyard, He saw worshipers pouring their offerings in the treasury box. The metal box with a trumpet-shaped opening made sure that the most obviously generous patrons of the temple were noticed and celebrated by everyone within earshot. What caught Jesus’ eye in that moment was not the large gifts of the wealthy, but the apparently insignificant gift of a poor, old widow. His comments to His disciples about the woman gave us a totally new way of understanding how God looks at generosity. They reframed what matters most when it comes to our giving. Let’s take a look at this story from Mark’s Gospel in a post from this date in 2021.

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Digging in Deeper: Mark 12:43-44

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“Summoning his disciples, he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had – all she had to live on.'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever had a perspective shift? Sometimes we get used to seeing things in one way, and never stop to think that there might be another way to look at them. Seeing things another way can bring a whole new world of understanding. Jesus and the disciples were observing a scene that everyone around them was accustomed to seeing in one way. He invited them to see things in a whole new light. Along the way, He gave us a new way to think about some things as well. Let’s talk about it.

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Digging in Deeper: Mark 12:43-44

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“Summoning his disciples, he said to them ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had – all she had to live on.'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever received a gift that was truly a generous one? There’s just something about that experience that feels good. You feel honored. You may be a little ashamed or embarrassed by the generosity, but your gratitude is enormous. You immediately rate the character of the giver as high. On the other hand, have you ever received a gift you knew was not in the least bit generous? The feelings then are almost the exact opposite. You may take whatever it is, but you’re really not very grateful for it at all. The other person just did it because he had to or somehow felt obligated to do it. That’s not a gift you’re ever going to be very happy receiving. Well, as much as you feel that way, God does even more. This odd little closing episode from Mark 12 gives us a really powerful picture of this truth. Let’s take a look.

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