Mark 12:41-44-- Sacrifice of the Poor

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on."

Jesus ceases his public teaching, and sits in the court of the temple, staring at people as they give.  Some gave a huge amount of money, and some gave less, but finally there came a widow who gave only two insignificant coins.  Jesus points out that from the givers’ standpoint, the widow gave more than the others—for all the other givers gave their extra, their disposable income.  However, the widow gave her last two cents, everything she had to live on.

There are two points being made here: First of all, God is not interested in the amount we give, but he is more interested in the sacrifice we show when giving.  When we give everything we have, we display full faith.  But the one who only gives out of what they can afford, gives out of not faith at all, but only a shallow obligation.

Secondly, in conjunction with the previous paragraph, this shows how scribes cause the houses of widows to be devoured.  They are the ones teaching that the temple should be provided for with a tax—the same from the poor as from the rich.  In this way, the wealthy give out of what they can easily afford, while the truly poor have to give everything, or else they give nothing.  This is an imbalance, and an injustice against the poor.  However, we notice, that the poor are praised when they give everything, but the scribes are condemned when they teach that the poor must give everything.  However, Jesus himself clearly teaches that the wealthy should give everything to the poor (Mark 10:21; Luke 12:33).  What seems to be implied is: Teachers should teach the poor to give what they can, and praise them when they give all they have.  However, teachers should not be easy on the wealthy, but teach them to give until they have nothing left.

There are two kinds of faith: The faith of surrender to God and the faith of love.  For most of us, in our everyday lives, when we display faith, we do one or the other.  We can love God or we can love others.  However the Orthodox have a saying, "Giving to the poor is prayer."  Many understand the deep connection between loving the needy and loving God.  For God is the protector of the poor, the one who hears the cries of the poor.

This means that insulting, or putting too much a burden on the poor, is a sin.  For those who oppress the poor the sin is deep.  Those preachers who command sacrifice to God without taking into account the cost to their poor congregation; the employee who denies employees a wage which allows them housing; a country which taxes the poor more than they can afford; an apartment manager who pockets profits but doesn't care for his tenants' homes; neighbors who call the police on their peaceful neighbors who happen to be without a home-- these sins are not winked at by God.  These are called "devouring widow's houses" by Jesus.  And those who obtain profit from another's poverty, will have all they possess taken from them and given to those who give to the poor.

To offer sacrifice is noble and rewarded by God.  To demand sacrifice is sin.