When God talks behind your back

(By Isabel Ireland)

Nobody knows her name. She is addressed as a ‘widow’ by the Gospel writers. Widows in the Old Testament times were considered helpless and often taken advantage of by others. She is also poor — having lost her sole source of dependence, security and provision. 

One day Jesus was watching the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large sums, catching the attention of the crowd, but then there was somebody who caught the attention of Jesus - It was this poor widow! 

When her turn came, she quietly dropped in two small coins in the offering box. But here’s the difference - While others gave out of their excess, her two coins outweighed the sum total of all their giving, because she gave all that she had to live on! 

This widow’s generosity and her complete faith in her provider moved the heart of God. 

You see God is always interested in our hearts more than our outward actions. It’s not “what we do”, but “why we do” that matters to Him. The Bible says in 1 Samuel  16:7, For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 

In the crowds of people who were walking in and out of the temple, this widow’s heart shined the brightest (Maybe because it reflected the heart of her heavenly Father, who himself is a lavish giver!) While others were putting money to impress the crowds, this widow’s heart was so filled with gratitude for God, regardless of her situation, that she wanted to offer her best to Him. 

Her eyes were not fixed on her money because she knew that money was not her source, rather the good, good God whom she served! 

Do you know money in itself is not bad after all? It is the love of money that is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). 

What we love, is what we end up worshipping. And if there is one thing that God hates – it is when you offer unto others the worship that is due to Him. The Bible clearly says: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24)

Jesus’ heart was so touched by this widow that He wanted to celebrate her with his disciples. He immediately calls out to them – interrupting whatever they were doing and points them to this widow, as she was moving out of the temple. He didn’t want his disciples to miss her. 

Wow, how is that? To have the Almighty God talk about us behind our backs!

This unsung widow teaches us an important lesson – Jesus lovers are always extravagant givers. Her story may end in four verses in the Bible, but certainly God didn’t leave her like that – after all He is no debtor to man! 

Life Application

1. Jesus lovers are extravagant givers.

2.  Know God as your source, everything else is a resource. 

3.  When you do something for God’s kingdom, it may go unnoticed in the eyes of man, but God sees it and your reward comes from Him.