As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Luke 21:1-4 

---

Admittedly, this verse used to make me uncomfortable. It would make my stomach sink, and my heart hurt. The thought of the poor widow giving her last two coins to her temple, unsure of where her next coin would come from, was unsettling. Why would she give away her last two coins? Knowing they were her last, why wouldn’t Jesus return the two coins to her?

When we started our family, we were financially scraping by each week. Any extra expense was a source of stress and brought on a feeling of uncertainty about how we would ever make it through this.  There were a few times when I let the offering plate pass right on by and would justify it by thinking to myself that God wouldn’t want me to feel stressed over offering when we were barely making ends meet.

It wasn’t until I was sharing my woes with a dear friend-in-Christ that she reminded me of the many times God multiplied offerings when people of faith sacrificed the very little that they had. Like at the Sermon on the Mount when He multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed thousands of followers (John 6, Matthew 14:17). And when God sent Elijah to Zarephath and said the widow would care for him and she did and was rewarded with endless flour and oil (1 Kings 17:7). She added that God has provided all that I have, and to offer thanks and praise to Him, we must trust Him that what we give to the church and others in need will multiply through Him. And while I’m probably not wrong—God wouldn’t want me to feel stressed—He would want me to have faith that He will multiply my offering in some helpful way.

I gave offerings even when it was uncomfortable and stressful, yet we were always provided for. The widow offering her last two coins no longer makes me uncomfortable. It is now a reminder of how great our God is to provide for us and take what we provide and multiply it for the greater good of all who follow Him. 

Next Steps

Would you pray with me today?

Heavenly Father,

You are the giver of every good and perfect gift, and all that we have is a blessing from Your hand.

Lord, we bring our offerings before You—not just our finances, but our time, talents, and hearts. We ask that You take what we offer and multiply it for Your glory. Just as You turned a small boy’s lunch into a feast for thousands, we trust that You can take our humble gifts and expand them beyond what we can imagine.

May these offerings be used to spread Your love, strengthen Your church, and bring hope to the weary. May our giving be a reflection of our faith, knowing that in Your hands, nothing is ever wasted.

Bless the givers, Lord, and increase their capacity to be a blessing to others. As we sow in faith, let us reap in joy, knowing that Your provision is endless and Your plans are always for our good.

We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.