OUR DAILY BREAD : COMMON CENTS

[cimi]

June 17
Wednesday


COMMON
CENTS

READ:
Mark 12:41-44
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[Jesus said,] "This poor
widow has put in more
than all those who have
given to the treasury."
__Mark 12:43
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In 1987, Mike Hayes, a freshman at the University of Illinois, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at the Chicago Tribune to ask his readers to "send in a penny for Mike."

"Just one penny," Hayes said. "A penny doesn't mean anything to anyone. If everyone... looks around the room right now, there will be a penny under the couch cushion... or on the floor. That's all I'm asking. A penny from each of your readers.

In less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents. Donations came in from all over the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000!

The common cent just isn't worth much--unless it's added to a whole bunch of other pennies. The woman we read about Mark 12 gave the equivalent of a fraction of a penny, which was "all that she had" (v.44). But Jesus honored that little bit.

The widow's sacrifice was an example and an encouragement to the disciples--and to us. She gave all she had. Have we ever been so generous? Jesus used an unnamed widow to teach us what giving is all about.

It was less than a cent, yet it was a priceless gift of love to God.
__Cindy Hess Kasper
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````````````````One grace each child of God can show`````````````
````````````````````Is giving from a willing heart;````````````````
```````````````````Yet, if we wait till riches grow;`````````````````
````````````It well may be we'll never start. __D. De Haan``````````
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God looks at the heart, not the hand;
the giver, not the gift.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Mark 12:41-44**************

41 Now Jesus sat opposite
the treasury and saw how
the people put money into
the treasury. And many who
were rich put in much.

42 Then one poor widow
came and threw in two
mites, which make a
quadrans. 43 So He called
His disciples to Himself
and said to them,
"Assuredly, I say to you
that this poor widow has
put in more than all those
who have given to the
treasury; 44 for they all put
in out of their abundance,
but she out of her poverty
put in all that she had, her
whole livelihood."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Some sources claim that 13 receptacles for treasury gifts (v.41)
stood in the Court of Women, accessible to Israelite women as well
as to men. The temple sported ostentatious wealth, and its officials
would probably waste this widow's money; but this powerless
woman, unaware of that likelihood, acted in good faith and was
the greatest giver in God's sight (v.44). The widow would not
starve, given the provisions for the poor in the Jewish synagogue.
The widow's "mite," or lepton, represented the lightest and least
valuable coin of the period. __Dennis Fisher