Mark 12:42 - Poor widow gives 2 coins

I don't think it was Jesus' point that it ought to "hurt" to give. I don't see anywhere in scripture where giving is supposed to hurt.

Or, for that matter, be "sacrificial."

There is such a thing as sacrifice, but sacrifice is nowhere in scripture the same thing as "giving."

Jesus' point with that observation is that the Pharisees weren't as righteous as they thought they were--they supposed that by giving only what the Law required that they were doing something more substantial than others, whereas they were actually doing less than many.

mikechristianforumsusr said:

Scripture
42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.44For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Observation
Jesus was sitting near the collection box at the Temple. When a poor widow gave her 2 coins, He used it as a lesson on giving.
Application
The point of Jesus' lesson is that it isn't how much you give, but how much we keep for ourselves. Does it hurt to give? If not then maybe you are not giving enough.
I found that earlier in my career when I had very little it was actually easier to give than it is now. I wouldn't call myself greedy, but on the other hand does it hurt to give? I would say no. So what does that say about my giving?
Prayer

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Thanks for sharing this. I agree that Jesus praised the widow's sacrificial giving. After all, He was the ultimate sacrifice in giving ALL of Himself for us. I believe that He praised her for giving ALL that she had. For a poor widow, this was an amazing display of her love for God and trust in Him.

The Temple treasuries were located in the Women's Court. Jesus sat down near these repositories, the money of each of which was designated for special purposes,. and watched the multitude as they cast money into the Temple treasury.

Mark states that many rich people threw in much. A few pieces of gold made little difference to them.

Suddenly a woman attracted Jesus' interest. A poor widow she was, that had to support herself as best she could. Two mites she'd in her possession, and she threw them both into the treasury.

It was two mites that the widow cast into the treasury. The mite was the smallest coin in circulation.

There was a lesson for the disciples in the widow's act and so Jesus called them over and pointed out the sacrifice's greatness.

In proportion, she'd given more than all the rest that had cast money into the treasury. She'd given all that she had; she'd sacrificed life's necessities to Jesus, and from a heart filled with love for God, since Jesus in no way censures her giving's manner.

That's cheerful giving, and such givers God loves. A warning's in place here, since many try to excuse their gifts for God with a reference to the widow's mite. If cases like hers would happen in our days, the Church's treasuries would be filled to bursting, so that the money's disposal would become a problem.

Let us learn to be only 10% as liberal and sacrificing in our gifts to God as this widow, and there'd never be need of more cries for help.