A Lavish Offering

Reading: Luke 21:1-4

[The widow] out of her poverty put in all she had to live on. – Luke 21:4

Additional Scripture Readings: Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 8:12

The widow shuffled up the temple steps to the treasury where the offering boxes, shaped like inverted megaphones, gaped their open mouths to receive her offering. She didn’t have much to give: two small coffer coins, worth almost nothing by today’s standards.

But these two coins were all she had to live on and were, therefore, exceedingly valuable to her. They were the sum total of her worldly wealth.

She lifted her hand and relinquished her treasure into the temple box. There. She had given it all. Did a smile creep across her lips? Perhaps her heart swelled with a fulness that belied her empty purse. She turned and descended the steps to leave the temple.

The lavish robes of rich rulers swirled about her. They brought their heavy offerings, sneering at her meager gift. Temple leaders harrumphed as they observed her tiny tithe.

Jesus, immersed in a teaching on the subject of true commitment to God, saw the lavish nature of her gift. His eyes must have twinkled with pleasure at her sacrificial offering. As the poor widow made her way from the temple, Jesus’ eyes probably followed her. Perhaps he even smiled.

Sit with this picture for a minute: Jesus smiles when our gestures please Him.

Of course, He loves us all the time. But in certain moments, when we act out of our understanding of His love for us – and we love Him back – He smiles. How does it feel to sit under Jesus’ smile and let it spread over you?

* * *

Your Turn

Have you ever considered that Jesus smiles over you? What do you think makes Jesus smile over you? I definitely want Him to smile when He hears or sees something I do or say! Don’t you? Come join the conversation on our blog! We would love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily