"Follow His Steps Closely" - THE NEEDY WIDOW IN THE TEMPLE

 Bring the account to life. (Read Mark 12:41) Picture the scene. It is Nisan 112, 33 C.E.-less than week before Jesus's death.  Jesus has spent much of the day teaching in the temple.  His religious opposers have not made it easy for him. Earlier, some of them questioned his authority.  Others tried to corner him with challenging questions.  (Mark 11:27-3; 12:13-34)  Now Jesus has moved to another  part of the temple.  Here -likely in the area called the Court of the Women-he can see the treasury chests along the walls of the court.  He sits down and begins observing the people as they put their contributions in the chests. He sees many rich people  depositing many coins. Perhaps he is close enough to hear a loud jingling as their coins drop into the chests.

Read Mark 12:42.  After awhile, one woman catches Jesus' attention. She is a poor, "needy widow." (Luke 21:2)  Life is very difficult for her; she likely struggles to obtain the basic necessities of life. Yet, she goes to one of the chests and puts in two small coins, which perhaps hardly makes a sound as they are dropped into the chest.  Jesus knows what she deposited-two lepta coins, the smallest coins in circulation at the time.  That is not even enough money to buy a single sparrow, among the cheapest birds sold for food. 

Read Mark 12:43, 33.  Jesus is deeply impressed by this widow. She he calls his disciples, draws their attention to the widow, and says: "This poor widow put more than all the others,"  he explains:"They [especially the rich people] all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her want, put in everything she had, all she had to live on."    When this faithful widow gave her last bi of money that day, she was putting her life in Jehovah's hands.  

Next time: "Follow His Steps Closely" - Conclusion of THE NEEDY WIDOW IN THE TEMPLE

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