“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. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘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.” 
– Mark 12:41-43

Just about every Monday when I go to the pantry, I see the truth in these scriptures.  This is the story of “sacrificial giving,”  so important that the story is repeated in two of the Gospels, Mark 12 and Luke 21.

Jesus and his disciples were watching as people put their money into the temple offering containers.  Jesus said, “The rich give out of their wealth and the widow gave her two mites( which equals 1 penny) out of her poverty.”  The widow gives more.

Now we have no baskets for collecting  offerings at Conserns-U so you might wonder what I am talking about.   It is the attitude that most  of the clients exhibit. Often they will say, ” I don’t need 6 servings of vegetables or fruit, “Please give it to those who really need it!”  They are careful to take only what they know they need or can use so that there will be food for the those in real  need. They are giving their “two mites.”

Now before you think I romanticize the pantry, let me say that not all are so selfless.  We have some clients who either ask for more than is required in each category or try to  take more than is their allotment. Just like all groups of people in this world, we serve  both  generous and selfish people.

This lesson is  about  sacrificial giving  by this widow whom herself  was in need of charity, but she had a heart to give to others.  She knew what it is to have desperate need. This is just another paradox of Biblical truth from Christ’s teaching  as this one found  in Matthew 16:25:

King James Bible
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

 I am convicted. . . . . .