Recently, a new TV show came out called the Secret Millionaire. It is a reality show. A millionaire agrees to go to an unknown location to live for week in local housing on welfare wages. They are to seek out non-profit organizations in the neighborhood and volunteer. They usually volunteer at three or four places. At the end of the week they are to give up to $100,000 of their own money to the organizations where they volunteered. Many struggling organizations have benefitted from these millionaires and this show. I am grateful and happy for those who receive the ‘windfall’. Yet, cynic that I am, I have often wondered how rich the millionaires really are and how much, percentage-wise, they are giving of their wealth. Today’s scripture passage is the reason for my wondering. Jesus’ observations have cast a shadowy cloud on this show for me!
When he watches the people put money into the temple’s ‘offering plate’, he makes the observation that the widow who put in a small of amount of money actually gave the most! The wealthy were chucking in way more money. Yet, they were giving out of their wealth…their excess monies. She put in all that she had…so much for the idea of a tithe…this lady put in 100%!! Jesus saw past the outward displays of wealth and saw the extravagance of the widow and her couple of copper coins.
