06/10/2026
Tomorrow we’ll hear the story of a widow who gave what appeared to some to be very little, but Jesus saw that it was so much more.
Our story comes from the New Testament Book of Mark at a time during Jesus’ life that took place at the temple in Jerusalem. At the temple, religious leaders and legal experts would ask Jesus questions about his teachings. In this story, Jesus was teaching his disciples about the relationship between leaders and experts and the Jewish people they were supposed to be serving.
In the temple court, there were collection boxes for people to give in support of the temple treasury. Jesus and the disciples were observing the ways different people contributed. Many wealthy people appeared to give a great deal, but in truth much of what they gave was just the leftovers from their opulent spending and was often given for show.
As they are watching, a widow who had very little money discreetly places two small copper coins inside a collection box. These coins appear to be such a small contribution; they amount to only a tiny fraction of a day’s wages.
However, Jesus explains to his disciples that her contribution is much more of a sacri¬fce because it is all she has to live on. Jesus explains that this kind of giving is of more value to God than the large contributions of the wealthy who could have given much more but only give what is left over after extravagant spending on themselves.
The widow’s giving shows sacrificial devotion to God. At Snowball Mountain, we alongside our Challengers are learning about giving our all for God to help people who need it––whether that is in financial support, time, or gifts. This is why we incorporate local & global mission projects each year!
God who helps us help others in challenging times, thank you for showing us how to be generous by giving of what you’ve given to us. Remind us that even in times when our contribution may seem small, what we give with a heart for God’s kingdom is big in God’s eyes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
