The Widow's Mite: God Sees the Heart
18 June 2025 · 2 min read · Understanding the Bible
The story of the widow's mite is brief but unforgettable — Jesus watching people give at the temple, and declaring that a poor widow's two tiny coins were worth more than all the large gifts of the rich. It reveals how differently God measures our giving. Here's the account and its meaning.
Watching the offerings
Jesus sat near the temple treasury, watching people put in their offerings. Many rich people gave large amounts. Then a poor widow came and put in two 'mites' — the smallest coins, worth almost nothing. By any human calculation, her gift was insignificant next to the large sums the wealthy were giving.
'More than all'
But Jesus called his disciples over and said something startling: 'this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.' In God's eyes, her tiny gift outweighed all the rest. He measured it not by the amount, but by something the others lacked.
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's the heart that counts
The difference was sacrifice. The rich gave out of their abundance — large amounts that cost them little. The widow gave 'all that she had, even all her living.' Her gift was small in size but total in heart. God doesn't measure our giving by the figure, but by the love, faith, and sacrifice behind it. A small gift given wholeheartedly can mean more to God than a large one given carelessly.
Encouragement for the 'small'
This is deeply encouraging for anyone who feels they have little to offer. God notices and treasures what we give from the heart, however small it seems. Your two coins — your modest gift, your small act of service, your quiet faithfulness — are seen and valued by God far beyond their apparent size. Nothing given in love is overlooked.
The widow's mite teaches that God measures our giving by the heart, not the amount. A poor widow's two tiny coins meant more to Jesus than all the large gifts of the rich, because she gave sacrificially, out of love and faith. It's a reminder that God sees and treasures what we offer from the heart — and that no one is too poor to give something precious to him.
