As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” - Mark 12:38-44

Dear Beloved in Christ,

In Mark 12:41-44, we meet a widow who gives everything she has to the temple treasury. Jesus draws attention to her sacrifice, saying she put in “everything—all she had to live on.” Many sermons interpret this story as a call to greater faith and sacrificial giving. It’s a powerful image of trust in God, and the widow’s faith is admirable. But what if Jesus is pointing us to more than just her faith? What if he’s also asking us to see the injustice in her situation?

The widow in this story embodies the heart of trust, giving her all despite her own poverty. She believes in God’s provision with a faith that inspires us. However, as we read this passage, it’s also essential to consider its context. Just before Jesus commends her faith, he condemns the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who “devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). The contrast couldn’t be sharper. Jesus is calling out a system that not only fails to support the widow but even leads her to sacrifice what little she has left.

Yes, we should have a faith like the widow’s, trusting God fully with our lives and resources. But Jesus’ words challenge us to look more deeply. This widow doesn’t just need praise; she needs support. She needs the very community that she’s giving her last coins to be a source of sustenance, compassion, and justice in her life.

In our world today, are we lifting up the widows—the vulnerable, the marginalized, the poor? It’s easy to admire the faith of those who give sacrificially, but Jesus calls us to more than admiration. He calls us to action. True faith responds to God’s love by working to dismantle systems that exploit those who already have so little.

Following Jesus doesn’t mean we’re called to sacrifice indiscriminately; instead, it means we’re called to respond to the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us by living out God’s love in tangible ways. That includes lifting up those who, like the widow, are left with nothing.

So yes, let’s have faith like the widow. But let’s also be God’s hands and feet that supports the widow. God invites us to challenge and change systems that perpetuate poverty and injustice. This is how we can be true followers of Christ, building a world that reflects God’s justice, mercy, and love for all people. May we be faithful, not just in our giving but in our calling to love one another as God loves us.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bryan Simmons