In Mark 12:41, Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury and watched how people were putting in their money. He noticed that the rich cast in a lot but that a widow only put in two small coins. The KJV Bible calls the coins mites.

A mite was a coin issued by the Duke of Brabant and the Count of Flanders a few years before the King James translation of the Bible was printed in 1611 and was still in circulation at that time. It was worth half a farthing. In other words, it could be equal to a penny today. It was considered almost worthless.

Although there was no coin at the time of Jesus actually called a mite, He was referring to a lepton (gr.) or a coin of little or no value.

Jesus was a teacher.  He used every opportunity to teach His disciples. He knew that they would be entrusted to take the gospel to the world. So, He taught them that the poor widow had put in more that everyone else that had given.

But how could that be? She only gave two small coins and everyone else had given more. How could she be “the big giver” of the group?

Well, here is the answer and it has two parts.

First, she gave out of her need and everyone else gave out of their extra. She gave everything and they gave some. By giving all she had, she was saying that she put God’s kingdom first and her kingdom second. She was more concerned with the house of God having bread than if she had bread. Her heart was seeking first the kingdom of God.

Keep in mind that in Bible times those who had money were commanded to give at the temple and to give to the poor. But on the day that Jesus sat by the treasury, a poor widow was giving everything. Her heart was right before God—no greed, no envy, just the joy of giving.

Secondly, God can transform a small coin into a fortune. He can take a small amount of fish and bread and feed 5,000 men and their families (an estimated 20,000 + people) with food left over. God can take a small seed and move mountains.

God can take your seed and create a bountiful harvest. That is the nature of the One True God we serve. Our God is a good God of multiplication. He gives us the seed to sow and lets us keep the harvest. Then when we give of the harvest, He multiplies again. That’s good news.

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
(2 Cor. 9:10 NLT)

Remember this—the Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He watched the treasury yesterday, He is watching it today. If it mattered to Him yesterday, it matters to Him today.

Never allow yourself to think that what you have to give is too small. This is a good deal—exchanging our mite for His might.

Larry Ollison Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.