A Different Take on the Widow's Mite

[Jenamarie]

I can't recall now the train of thought that lead me to contemplating this particular Bible story, but some interesting things came up as I thought about it.

There's that infamous, pithy little phrase that gets thrown around a lot: "The church is true, the people aren't." I know it bugs a lot of people (and it bugs me sometimes too, but only because I have a strong dislike for "seminary answers" - the kind of answers you just pop out because it's the expected answer to a question, and so you don't spend any time actually thinking about the question that was asked).

But anyway, what does that have to do with the Widow's Mite...

When Christ was in the Temple and saw the widow cast in her mite the "church" at that time had departed from the pure religion Jehovah had given them. The religious leaders of the day had placed hedge laws around the Law of Moses, there were money changers and merchants crowding the courtyard of the Temple, and a large majority of the church was about to reject and kill the great Jehovah, the very Massiah they were claiming to be waiting so anxiously for.

And yet, amid all that, the widow still cast in her mite. In the midst of all the corruption, SHE knew what the Gospel truely was, and was willing to give her last mite for it, even if the church in it's current state would cast it as naught.

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Now I'm not equating the Quorum of the Twelve with the Sanhedrain, but it helped me to understand that pithy little saying a bit more. It doesn't matter how corrupt the leadership of the church *may* be - my loyalty isn't to them. It's to my Father in Heaven and his gospel here on the earth. If I keep my eye single to the glory of God, then it doesn't matter what anyone else within the church has done, is doing, or will do in the future. I'll have done *my* part, and that is what the Lord will recognize.

[WillowTheWhisp]

This is something I wish I could get my daughter to see and understand. At present she doesn't want to go to church because of the way her youth leaders have behaved. I wish she could see that it isn't about them. It's about her and Heavenly Father.

[KeithLBrown]

Thank you very much for this post. This is a very interesting take on a subject that I think a lot of us often miss. In essence this poor widow gave what she had, not so much because of who she was, but because of whose she is. She was looking for the blessings from God and not the praises of men. Excellent post. Thanks again.

[Truegrits]

I have been where your daughter is. I became disenchanted with the church as a teenager. I saw the hypocrisy of many of the members; both adults and their children. On Sunday they were on their best behavior, but the other six days they were not very "good" examples. It took me a few years to understand they were just regular people, like me, with faults. I expected so much from the adults, therefore the disappointment at their failings was great. It took a few years, and a bit of "maturity" to realize that the Church/Gospel was not flawed, just us humans.
I bet your daughter will also realize that...

[MsMagnolia]

Thank you so much for posting this. I love this parable and now i can look at it with new eyes. Thanks again for your insights.

[puf_the_majic_dragon]

You open up an interesting perspective here that I'm going to take one step further.

Sometimes the church is NOT true, but the people ARE. I know so many people who don't have the fullness of the Gospel, but are so strong in their faith and so giving in their natures. I've seen it from different Christian denominations to Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus - everywhere there are people doing their best to live righteous principles, even without the true church in their lives.

[prisonchaplain]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

This is something I wish I could get my daughter to see and understand. At present she doesn't want to go to church because of the way her youth leaders have behaved. I wish she could see that it isn't about them. It's about her and Heavenly Father.

And I hate our Protestant answer--You can always go to another church. Sadly, people often leave, and don't make it to their next church.

My pithy little truth on this is that we are commanded to love one another, not like one another. We pray for our leaders, and if a member is struggling, we go to them. If that doesn't work, we bring one or two trusted leaders. We don't gossip, we don't ask prayer for Bro/Sis so&so, and the proceed to gossip...

Even the heathen are nice to the nice...what reward is there in that?

[Traveler]

Maybe it is just me and my attitude but I think the main point has been missed. Most that argue points of religion, argue on the basis of what they can get out of it. I have never see a discussion concerning religion on the basis of what you can put into it.

I believe that Jesus was inpressed in the widow and her effort to put something into her belief. I believe that is the essence of true religion and faith.

The Traveler