A Modern Widow's Mite
Who has read the New Testament account of the widow's mite and not had their heart touched by the story of Jesus and his observation and declaration regarding a poor widow?
When at the temple and observing people casting money into the temple treasury, He pointed out the striking difference between a rich man casting much into the treasury, seeking the attention of those about him, and a poor widow who quietly cast in a mite, a small amount of money, but all she could afford to give.
Jesus explained that because of her pure intent, she was the greater of the two despite the smallness of her contribution.
Yesterday, I experienced a similar situation with an older woman who, though not a widow, is poor in worldly monetary standards who gives quietly and with pure intent just like the widow of New Testament times.
This woman, despite her age, has been raising a young boy, who is now eight years old, since his infancy and is now working to legally adopt him.  She has been consistently saving money for attorney's fees associated with the adoption.
At the end of a lesson on a previous visit, I had mentioned that I needed to get a hat to keep my head warm during the upcoming winder months since we would be out and about in the elements a lot.
On our next visit, she had remembered my comments and insisted that I take one of her two hats.  You can imagine how reluctant I was to take a hat especially in light of her poor circumstances and her saving for the adoption! But she insisted that she wanted to give me a gift - pure and simple. I was humbled and accepted thinking immediately of the widow and her mite.
You would no doubt agree  it would have been amazing to have lived in New Testament times and to have been taught by Jesus personally. But yesterday I truly realized that the Lord gives us the very same heart-burning experiences in our day and age if we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to receive them.