Read Mark 12:41-44

$75.8 billion

$32.1 billion

$12.7 billion

$7.6 billion

These are the philanthropic donations of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Michael Bloomberg, and Elon Musk, respectively.

Most of us cannot even imagine that kind of wealth, much less the wealth one has to have to make those kinds of charitable donations.

These might be among the largest donations in the history of mankind, but, believe it or not, they are not the most famous.

The most famous donation, known by more people in the history of the world – more than Gates, more than Buffet, more than Bloomberg, more than Musk – was given by a poor widow in the first century, who literally didn’t even have two pennies to rub together.

Her donation to the temple was less than a cent. But she gave it with a sincere and generous heart. Jesus even commented,

Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on. – vv. 43-44

More? Really? So many people are giving so much more! Jesus, what math are you using?

None. The answer is none. Jesus doesn’t do math to determine value.

You’ve probably heard these famous words of our Lord, spoken to the prophet Samuel,

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. –  1 Samuel 16:7

It doesn’t matter what your hands do or what your lips say if your heart isn’t right.

Others gave out of what they could spare. She had nothing to spare. But what she had, she gave.

That’s the mark of a disciple. Paul said so himself.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

And in just a few days, our Savior would make a deposit into the treasury of His Father, the richest contribution He could make, and the richest contribution ever made. He held nothing back.

He gave His life.

And His death on the cross purchased redemption for you and me. By His wounds, we are healed. Under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Paul articulated the essence of Jesus’ sacrifice so eloquently:

God made him who had no sin to be sin^[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Your Turn

Where are you holding back? What areas of your life are not fully devoted to the One who gave it all for you? Name ‘em and claim ‘em. Surrender them today.

*If you’d like a downloadable version of this devotional click here.