Luke 21:1-9 (ESV)

¹ Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, ² and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. ³ And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. ⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” ⁵ And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, ⁶ “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” ⁷ And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. ⁹ And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

In the temple, Jesus was people-watching. One area of the temple, called the treasury, was located in the Court of Women. Now the Court of Women wasn’t called this because only women were allowed there. Instead, it meant that women could go no further into the temple than the borders of this court. The treasury contained thirteen “trumpets,” or receptacles that looked like trumpets with narrow mouths fanning out to wide bases. Worshippers of God put their offerings into specifically marked trumpets. It was Passover time, so the temple was swollen with visitors. A poor widow approached the treasury. She probably wore tattered clothes. She put two small coins, lepta, into an offering box. A lepton was a tiny, thin coin worth about an eighth of a cent. So the widow gave less than a penny. Can you imagine what you would think if someone put a penny into the offering bag at church? Why bother? Anyone who noticed what the widow did may have laughed. Her offering was a joke. When the rich dropped their large offerings into the trumpets, others could see that they gave “generously.” No praise was given when the widow’s coins fell in. She didn’t give very much, but it was literally all that she had. And though no one else was impressed by her two small coins, God was. In fact, Jesus said she gave more than the others.

Jesus wasn’t only watching the widow’s actions, but he was watching her motives as well. He knew the coins were all she had. In the same way, God watches not only what we do, but why we do it. Do we pray, serve, go to church, or even give financially to be seen by others? Or are we faithful and generous because we want to please to God? This examination will drive the honest heart to brokenness and repentance as we ponder how selfish many of our motives are, even for our good deeds. Thank Jesus for his mercy upon our sinful intentions! But let us also remember that just as Jesus observed the honest sacrifice of the widow, God sees our proper motives too. Determine today to be driven by the desire to do what is right in the sight of the Lord, even if it feels like what you have to offer isn’t much.