38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 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. 44 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.”
She often asked the question, “Why am I here?” She had been productive once. She had held a job, been a wife and a mother. She had served on the altar guild and been a faithful member of the LWML. But now the Jewish lady across the hall did not really want to hear about her Jesus. And her legs would hardly carry her to the dining area anymore in the facility where she lived. She felt isolated and, if you asked her, she felt useless. She missed her husband. She missed her children who rarely saw her. When her pastor came, she asked, “Why am I here?”
I did not have a great answer for her, I must admit. I was young and she was old. I was there to bring her the Lord’s Supper and have a little devotional time in the Word of God. Why was she there? I would only find out later, when we gathered to grieve her passing. A young woman approached me and spoke of her. She was a staff person, one of the folks in the facility who took care of my friend.
She did not know it, but her much diminished life was in fact a tremendous blessing to this young woman who looked forward every day to coming to visit with her. They did not talk of profound or deep things. But this young woman was facing some difficult things and this old woman, who could do so little, always says she would pray for her. And she did. And God answered those prayers.
Jesus has his eyes on all His people. He measures not their gifts or their talents as we might measure them. He sees all. Praise Him for His work in our smallest deeds.