Love in the Margins
Here are some thoughts about this coming Sunday's gospel that were sent out to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.
38As [Jesus] taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
38As [Jesus] taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”41He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
The last verse of this gospel passage sums up the point Jesus is making. It is like hitting the bullseye—pow! Widows were truly on the margins of Jewish society and were not well cared for. In the Old Testament God told the people to look after the widows, by making sure they had food (Deuteronomy 24:19-21). God was also concerned about the widow’s need for justice (Deuteronomy 27:19). The psalmist says, “Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5).
So, on the one hand, you had the scribes who were all about themselves, “devour[ing] widows’ houses” (v. 40). The scribes had more than enough and so giving for them was easy because it was out of their abundance, while the widow gave out of her own need. She threw her entire trust into the God who was her Father and protector. Our Lord Jesus sees her as a whole person, not simply as an object of compassion or charity.
Of course, most people with needs don’t like to be objects of charity but want to be seen for who they are as people. We are to walk with those in need, accompanying them along the way in this life, seeing them as beloved children of God, for God cares about each and every one of us.
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