March 3-7

Giving All You’ve Got

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. – Mark 12:41–42 (ESV)

In 2015, a homeless man named James Bowen made headlines when he donated his last few coins to a street musician in London. Though he had almost nothing, he gave generously because he knew what it was like to struggle. His story reminds us of the widow in Mark 12—giving not out of abundance, but out of trust and sacrifice (BBC News, 2015).

Jesus saw beyond the amount given—He saw the heart behind the gift. Many gave large sums, but their giving was comfortable. The widow gave sacrificially, demonstrating total dependence on God. The world measures generosity by the size of the gift, but Jesus measures it by the faith behind it. True giving isn’t about money alone—it’s about surrendering all we have to God.

Reflection Questions
1. Do you give out of comfort or faith?
2. How can you trust God with your resources today?

Suggested Prayer
Lord, You see my heart. Help me to give in faith, not just from my excess but with a heart of trust. Teach me to surrender all to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus Sees More Than We Know

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. – Mark 12:41 (ESV)

John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men in history, gave away over $500 million in his lifetime. However, his greatest lesson in generosity came as a child when his mother gave him a dime and told him to tithe a penny. That lesson shaped his life, proving that generosity isn’t about wealth—it’s about obedience (Chernow, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, 1998).

Jesus watched as the wealthy gave large sums, but He wasn’t impressed. Their giving was noticeable, but it wasn’t sacrificial. Many of us assume generosity is about quantity, but Jesus sees beyond the numbers. The heart behind the gift matters more than the amount. When we give, God isn’t just looking at the transaction—He’s looking at our trust in Him.

Reflection Questions
1. How does knowing Jesus sees beyond the surface change how you give?
2. Do you trust God enough to give even when it costs you something?

Suggested Prayer
Father, help me to trust You with my finances and my life. May my giving reflect a heart of faith, not just obligation. Teach me to be generous in all areas of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Widow Who Gave Everything

And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. – Mark 12:42 (ESV)

During World War II, Polish nurse Irena Sendler smuggled over 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, risking her life daily. She had nothing to give but her courage, yet she gave everything she had to save others. Her sacrifice echoes the widow’s—giving when it cost the most (Smithsonian Magazine, 2011).

The widow’s offering was worth almost nothing by the world’s standards, but Jesus valued it above all the wealth given that day. She gave not out of abundance but out of faith. True generosity isn’t measured by the size of the gift, but by the depth of the sacrifice. God calls us to give not just when it’s convenient, but when it’s costly.

Reflection Questions
1. Do you give in a way that requires faith?
2. What might God be calling you to surrender to Him?

Suggested Prayer
Lord, give me the faith to trust You completely. Help me to give with a heart of surrender, even when it requires sacrifice. Teach me to rely on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus Knows More Than We Realize

And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:43–44 (ESV)

In 1982, a Kansas City church received a surprising donation—an envelope with a crumpled $5 bill. Inside was a note: “This is all I have, but I know God will use it.” That $5 sparked a movement, leading to thousands of dollars in additional giving as the congregation was inspired by the widow-like sacrifice (Christianity Today, 1982).

Jesus knew the widow’s sacrifice was greater than the large sums given by others. He doesn’t just see what we give—He sees what we hold back. Many gave out of their abundance, but she gave out of trust. True generosity isn’t about the numbers in a bank account; it’s about the faith in our hearts. God honors those who trust Him completely.

Reflection Questions
1. What might God be asking you to surrender that you’ve been holding onto?
2. How does Jesus’ knowledge of your heart change the way you approach giving?

Suggested Prayer
Lord, You see my heart. Help me to give not for show but as an act of trust. Show me where I am holding back, and give me the courage to surrender all to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He Knows Our Motivation

She…put in everything she had, all she had to live on. – Mark 12:44 (ESV)

In the 1980s, a man named Willie Sutton, a notorious bank robber was finally caught. When asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, he famously replied, "Because that's where the money is." While Sutton's honesty was blunt, it laid bare his core motive: pure, unadulterated self-gain. This anecdote, while humorous, underscores the stark reality of unchecked motives. Sutton’s actions weren’t driven by a desire to provide for his family, right societal wrongs, or any other noble cause. It was simply about personal enrichment, regardless of the consequences.

Motives matter to God. Jesus wasn’t impressed by the rich giving large sums, but He was moved by the widow who gave her last coins. She gave with faith, while others gave with calculation. God knows our motives. Do we give to be seen, or do we give as an act of worship? True giving isn’t about obligation—it’s about trusting God with all we have.

Reflection Questions
1. When you give, is it out of faith or for recognition?
2. What would it look like to give God everything, not just financially but in all areas of life?

Suggested Prayer
Lord, search my heart. I want to give in faith, not for show. Help me to trust You completely and surrender all that I have. Teach me to live with open hands, ready to honor You in all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.