All we have to live on!

Reflecting on Mark 12:41-44

"All she had to live on!" (Mark 12:44)

I used to think this story was about faithful giving.
This poor widow was an example of full devotion to God.
This summer I heard a message that suggested a different angle.
It is always important to pay attention to the context of a story.
Just prior to this story, Jesus also speaks about widows.
“The teachers of the Law… devour widows’ houses…” (Mark 12:40)

The Law had something to say about widows.
There were supposed to be storehouses of supplies for the widows.

“At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)

Support for the foreigners, fatherless and widows, that is the landless.
The land stayed with the fathers/sons, who were to take care of the family.
Moses described a 'social security system' to take care of those who needed help.
Where were the supplies made available to the poor, according to the Law?
Why did the teachers of the Law not live out this Law?
The widows were to be protected, not to have what they had 'devoured'.

Jesus is not just commending the widow, He is still rebuking the religious leaders.
Those who are religious, who claim to know God, need to care for those in need.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

How was it that “a few cents” was all that she had to live on?
The religious leaders insisted that the people give, but not that they care.
The ‘church’ of the day was more interested in putting on a religious show.
If everyone shared the wealth, no one would be in the situation of this widow.
There was supposed to be an equality of blessing among the people.

“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.’ (Exodus 16:18)” (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)

Paul is describing the heart and will of God, that all people be blessed.
There is plenty for everyone, no one should be in poverty like this widow.
No one should be looked down on, treated as less, or pushed to the outside.
Foreigners, the fatherless and widows, the poor living among them.
Who are the poor living among us, who are not experiencing equality?
How are the religious honouring God by caring for the poor?

This story also makes a point that we find uncomfortable.
The poor are often more generous and caring than the not-poor.
Within their circles, many will share and care from their poverty.
It might not seem like much to us, but splitting that granola bar is huge!

For the not-poor, we often begrudge those that need our excess.
We assume they are lazy, that they should just ‘get a job’.
If you’ve never had to survive on the streets, you wouldn’t know.
Living on the streets is a full-time job, filled with stress and anxiety.
How they got there is also a story that most of us could not handle.

As Jesus followers (the ‘religious’), we need to beware of worldliness.
Being “polluted by the world” (James 1:27) includes greed and selfishness.
We have been well-provided for, so that we can share with others.
God desires equality, and that those with more share with those with less.

Yes, this widow is amazing, but don’t miss the deeper point.
Her devotion is amazing despite the fact that the religious are not.
Maybe our churches should become amazing too, in helping others.

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had… And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.” (Acts 4:32-34)

If this happened, there would be no poor widows giving all they had to live on.
Jesus could commend the whole community, and not just one or two exceptions.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I want to grow my heart to be generous and devoted to You and Your family. You have provided more than enough to me; show me how to share it with others, so that all may experience Your blessing equally!

May no one be forced to give all they have to live on, because everyone is sharing all they have to live on!