The rich and privileged men stood in front of the crowds consumed with religious pretense, language and bluster as they came fully clothed in roles and robes of significance. They looked to the side without turning their heads or averting their eyes yet making sure people saw their slow hand movements as they purposely let their bulky offering fall into the offering box.
The old nondescript woman in tattered clothes quickly slipped the tiniest of coins in the offering box as well … blushing while glancing around, trying to avoid the stares of aversion and disdain.
The people admired and noticed the bulky shimmering robes and the overflowing offering of the man as he proudly basked in their admiration but disregarded both the gift and the woman who quickly exited the temple.
Yet, the Savior saw the truth midst the pretense. The Savior saw the giving of nothing and the gloating pride of the rich men and the delivery of everything by the poor woman. Thus the men, who gave nothing, received nothing but the false admiration of the moment devoid of the presence and blessing of God and the poor woman who truly released her heart found the richness of the abiding of God in her life.
Some were fooled in the days of the Savior and some are fooled today. Simply taken in and fooled by those who make a spectacle of their faith. Don’t be fooled by those that make a show of their position, their wealth, their religious words and the trappings of their faith while they give nothing to their God.
Instead … see the truth and substance or real faith in those that release everything as they deliver their hearts to their Savior. The faith of the humble will always give a richness of life to the humble through the blessing of God because they look to Him for everything they need. It is the opposite way with the pretending of the proud. A certain emptiness will always remain in their faith because they desire what is essentially devoid of truth and substance, as the God they claim to know, is not needed or really acknowledged and thus little comes their way from God.
And He said, “In truth I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God, but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.” (Luke 21:3-4, KJ21)
