Quality over Quantity

I was reading Mark chapter 12 this morning during my bible time and as I got to the end of the chapter verses 41-44 stood out to me.  I went back and reread these verses a few times until I could picture this in my head.

Mark 12:41-44 NKJV – Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money in the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them. Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.  For they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.

I can just picture Jesus sitting there watching as the rich, with pride and arrogance, put large amounts of money in for everyone around them to see.  Each one trying to out do the other for bragging rights on how much they gave, when Jesus spots this woman in line.  I see her as being almost ashamed of how little she had .  I see her almost dreading getting to the front of the line to put in what she had.  It says she threw in two mites.  She didn’t lay it out for all to see but I believe she hurriedly through it in out of embarrassment of how little it was.  She had no idea in that moment she had gotten Jesus’s attention.  Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, focused in on this one poor widow not for what she had, but for what she was willing to give.

Jesus even called His disciples over to Him because He wanted to make sure they understood the importance of her giving.  Jesus knew they were looking with their human eyes and would miss the one true giver there.  The person who gave their all, the widow. I wonder how many times we have missed the truest giver among us because we placed no value on their giving.  Only in the human eye did the scribes give big because we often place value on quantity. Jesus places value on our quality of giving.

We as Christians often give easily and in large amounts the things that we have in abundance but what about the things we have little of?   This does not apply to just money it can be anything up to and including our time. Are we willing to give our all?  Sometimes we look at others and wish we could give like them never realizing that when we are giving all we have that we are getting Jesus’s attention.

Jesus just wants our all.  He wants us to give all we have knowing that He is true to His Word and He will take care of us.  There are areas in my own life that I give freely to God but He is pointing out areas in my life that I don’t give my all.  Areas that I hold back out of fear or doubt because I have little in those things.  I pray today for the courage, strength, and faith to give Him my all in all areas of my life not just the things I have in abundance.

Thank you and Please Share!!