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38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:38-44 NIV)
A blessed and happy Monday to you all. May this day be a special one for you, Friend, in which you can freely and openly share your faith in Christ Jesus. I thank you for your prayers for our trip down to Kingsville, Texas and my preaching on Sunday at my childhood church of El Buen Pastor UMC. God provided the words, safe travel, and a great reception by those who attended. We continue to pray for one another and for those who need God's touch and healing. I would add the name of a dear lady I have known all of my life from the Kingsville church, Mrs. Chabela Gonzalez, who is in Hospice care. She has served the Lord faithfully as a laywoman and she is quite the Christian woman. May God provide her peace and comfort during these days, and may her graduation into the Church Triumphant come on God's timing and blessing. We continue to pray for the premature baby who needs God's touch; may God bring healing and comfort to him and his family. Pray for one another, pray for your needs.
We find Jesus using the backdrop of the temple for two powerful and meaningful teachings that impact us even today. The temple was always a busy place. Not all the business being done was holy, and not all the holy men were holy. And not all of the teachers of the law were about following the law either. Jesus watched them and knew them. And He used their behavior as a teaching of His own. Jesus said, "These men love what they do; their dress and their desire for respect does not match what they should be teaching or living.for they are in it only for themselves and what they can get out of life. They desire the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at the banquets they attend. And Jesus said "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severly." The reality was these men were not paid by the temple for their work, but found a sure source of income from widows, who were known for their generosity than financial astuteness. The very people they should be protecting are the ones on which they preyed. And add to that, Jesus questioned their prayers as being sincere, for He said the main purpose for praying was for show than for blessing. And God's punishment will come to those who abuse position for power and prestige.
Jesus then sits near the temple treasury which was a brass recepticle for receiving the offering. The wealthy knew the more money they put in the louder the jangle of their offering. It was not for truly supporting the ministry of the Lord as it was for show. Twice that Jesus uses this for teaching about where your heart should be as your serve and as you live. But the crowning touch was the appearance of "a poor widow" who comes to worship God with her offering. Her intention was not to clang attention to herself, rather it was to glorify God with a sincere offering of everything she had and everything she needed just to survive. What a contrast to the loud, showy offering; this offering came from her heart and Jesus declares it the best offering of the day. "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. When Nellie and I were in the Holy Land, the only request we had from a dear friend was for us to bring her back a widow's mite, the replica coin of the offering the widow made on that day in front of Jesus. These are sold in plastic bags for a very reasonable price, but the profoundness of what the coin represnts was not lost on us when our friend received it and was immediately blessed by it. One could say in spiritual power it was worth more than Elon's, Bill's, and Warren's fortunes. Now I'm not faulting the way Warren and Bill are trying to give away their fortunes to bless the world; what they are attempting is a very honorable thing; but the quiet, not-for-show gift of that widow is what blessed Jesus on that day and continues to this day as children, young adults, senior citizens, and others give of their all to bless God and to thank God for all He has done, will do, and continues to do for us. Her stepping up to that treasury was an act of pure faith. She was not offering up ten percent of what she owned, she was not only giving all that she had, she was giving herself to God; her life lived in God was worth more than worrying about money. She did not worry about making ends meet, she worried more about meeting God one day and being able to say, Thank You, Lord, for all You shared with me, especially Your love. Knowing You while alive on the earth was what saved me from a terrible life of worrying and fretting over things that in the end don't really matter.
The Rev. Francis Chan, started a megachurch in a part of California that usually doesn't permit large churches to grow, but his preaching and teaching allowed him to meet the needs of so many, they responded and joined his church. He then sat down to write a book entitled Crazy Love that made him a millionaire. Immediately, all his friends said, "Now is the time for you to upgrade your home! You can afford it now!" And so Rev. Chan did the opposite; he bought a smaller home and walked away from his church and moved to an even more difficult California environment to start a ministry among people, San Francisco. During his ministry in both his church and later in SF starting house churches, it was revealed he gave away 50% of his salary, donated most of the profits from the royalties of his books to charities, most of whom worked to free sex slaves in foreign countries. In 2020, he left SF for Hong Kong where he lived and worked among the poorest of the HK people in a neighborhood where his mother used to do ministry in the 1950s. When his visa was denied, he moved back to the US vowing to return as soon as he can have a visa to return to work among the poor. Such is but one example of the impact that one poor widow made during the days of Jesus to see things for how they really are.
This passage is a call to reflection on what really counts in our lives. Do we set out to make a name for ourselves without truly caring about others? Or, do we do all we can to reach the masses for Jesus? The "teachers of the law" were thieves of the innocent, taking advantage of the scarce resources of the downtrodden, and prayer was not to talk to God but to show off how long they could make prayers drawing attention only to themselves. The givers of that day were also doing the same, and only that poor widow won Jesus' admiration for being genuine and sincere in sharing with God all she had, and giving herself fully to God.
PRAYER: Loving God, help us to give of what we are and what we have, to You and to bless Your work among Your people. Grant us wisdom to do the right thing and courage to live as true believers in You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Give of yourself to God today in a way that blesses God.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
