She Gave Her All

Believe me, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. For they have all put in what they can easily afford, but she in her poverty who needs so much, has given away everything, her whole living! Mark 12:43, 44, Phillips.
Jesus was in the court where were the treasure chests, and He watched those who came to deposit their gifts. Many of the rich brought large sums, which they presented with great ostentation. Jesus looked upon them sadly, but made no comment on their liberal offerings. Presently His countenance lighted as He saw a poor widow approach hesitatingly, as though fearful of being observed…. Watching her opportunity, she hurriedly threw in her two mites, and turned to hasten away. But in doing this she caught the eye of Jesus, which was fastened earnestly upon her.
The Saviour called His disciples to Him, and bade them mark the widow’s poverty. Then His words of commendation fell upon her ear…. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she felt that her act was understood and appreciated…. Jesus understood her motive. She believed the service of the temple to be of God’s appointment, and she was anxious to do her utmost to sustain it. She did what she could, and her act was to be a monument to her memory through all time, and her joy in eternity. Her heart went with her gift; its value was estimated, not by the worth of the coin, but by the love to God and the interest in His work that had prompted the deed….
The rich bestowed from their abundance, many of them to be seen and honored by men. Their large donations had deprived them of no comfort, or even luxury; they had required no sacrifice, and could not be compared in value with the widow’s mite…. Her example of self-sacrifice has acted and reacted upon thousands of hearts in every land and in every age. It has appealed to both the rich and the poor, and their offerings have swelled the value of her gift. God’s blessing upon the widow’s mite has made it the source of great results. So with every gift bestowed and every act performed with a sincere desire for God’s glory. It is linked with the purposes of Omnipotence. Its results for good no man can measure.
Conflict and Courage p. 303
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Melissa who is having surgery today. Rose
—–I’m not feeling very good..Im losing mobility throughout my whole body..Im scared..I know Jesus will do what he can..But I’m in pain so much.. My hips and the small of my back aches like no other!!Please pray for me. Eva
—–A dear friend has just been diagnosed with cancer after being free of it for 5 yrs. Please pray for her and her family. Loraine
—-We need wisdom for a decision. L
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Dear Friends
It’s interesting the people that we meet in the strangest places. Sometimes, when riding an elevator, for example, everyone avoids even looking at the other occupants and the ride up is very boring. Occasionally someone tells jokes and we laugh all the way to the top. Sometimes we hear part of some very private conversations that makes us wish we could hear the rest. One time, I had just got on the elevator, when, suddenly I saw a man’s arm thrusting through the six or seven inch space between the closing doors. The doors did what they were supposed to this time. Immediately they reopened. Looking at the man, I said, “You’re braver than I am. I would never have taken a chance like that. Those doors don’t always work like they should” The man replied, “I’ve lost a hand before all the doctor will do is sew it back on.” Everyone in the elevator laughed.
Then the man surprised us by saying, “You think I’m kidding, but it is a true story. When we were little, my twin brother and I were playing unsupervised in the kitchen. For some reason I stuck my hand in the blender. At that moment, my brother turned it on. The rotating blades took off all of my fingers. The doctor sewed them back on and they are fine.” Seeing the look on my face, he stuck out his hand and showed me the many deep scars running vertically and horizontally on all his fingers. It was amazing how fingers so badly riddled could ever function again.
How often brother injures brother within the body of Christ. How many times someone close to us wounds us deeply by their words or actions. They might come to us later to ask forgiveness, we do forgive, yet the scars remain. We might “function” again, but the experience we have gone through still remains a part of us. Paul warns, “if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15 John adds, “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
1 John 2:9-11, 3:10-12
How careful we must be in our dealings with others, for we can injure and scar them just as surely as that man’s twin brother did so long ago. How tenderly and compassionately we should treat others being careful not to wound in any way, for with every wounding, deep scars remain. Peter advises, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good, let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12 May we heed Peter’s good counsel is my prayer.
Rose