Mark 12:41-43 “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. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 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:”
It was business as usual as the masses passed by casting their money into the treasury. The only limitations associated with their vision were the details; all that passed by where just human figures without faces. Normality had blinded them to an unseen presence, “Jesus sat over against the treasury” and an unseen participant, “a certain poor widow”; and now it had closed their eyes to the unseen praise, “he called . . . and saith unto them.” That helpless creature of poverty has been singled out; not for the purpose humiliation, but honor!
The core of humanity failed to recognize the source of her praise, “Verily I say unto you.” The words of praise had not come from the religious establishment, the high priest or even the disciples of our lord, but a humble creature caught the eye of her Creator and He was pleased to call attention to her worth! Warning of the cancerous sin of hypocrisy, Jesus said “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). Others may have sought “the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43), but not this “certain poor widow”; she would seek the blessing of her Heavenly Father.
The masses failed to recognize the superiority of her praise, “this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:” If I understand the text; it appears that her act of devotion not only superseded that of any one individual, but the totality of all! Jesus openly declared to all that would hear; “There is none like her!” On that ordinary day, at the temple, there was no one that passed by the treasury that had given more of them self than her!
They failed to recognize the surety of her praise, “And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them.” What had been done in private is now made public. God’s Word was true; “and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:4). What had been done in the closet of her heart was now being shouted from the housetop! In honoring her work, God was honoring His Word.
While the majority failed to recognize praise, “a certain poor widow” received praise when Jesus said, “this poor widow hath cast more in, than all.” Having determined the compassion of her heart to be of more value than the contents of their hands, Jesus declared the worth of her contribution!