The Widow's Might

In pondering the messages of General Conference today, the overall theme I took away was: you can't choose your circumstances, you can only choose your reaction to them.  But I also felt like (especially from Elder Holland) there was a great deal about examining how we see ourselves, and others - and recognizing the reality of how the Lord sees us.  So with those ideas swirling around in my mind, when a speaker brought up the story of the widow's two mites, I felt like I suddenly saw the scene from a whole new perspective.

The story of the widow and the minuscule two mites she put into the temple treasury - is framed in the New Testament from the onlookers perspective.  The Lord with His insight informs his disciples that this poor widow's tiny contribution was greater than all the wealth donated by the rich, because it was all she had.  It is apparent that the Lord appreciated her sacrifice, and that He takes into account individual circumstances when He judges us - highlighting to the disciples that things aren't always as we see them from our limited point of view.  But this time, my thoughts turned to the widow herself. 

What was she thinking as she came forward to donate her two mites?

Was she apprehensive to give all she had, was she worried how she would live and find additional funds to feed her children?  Or did she trust that the Lord would provide, if she gave her all?

Was she anxious about how little she had to contribute, if it would be enough to make any difference in the kingdom, and if she should even bother?  Was she concerned with the reaction of the crowd, would those witnessing the size of her portion, mock, ridicule, and make fun of the insignificance of her offering?  Did she compare her mites with the riches given by others around her, question her worth, and shrink at the contrast?  Did she feel that whatever she gave, it would never be good enough?

 Or

Did she approach the treasury in humility, giving everything she had in faith, to the Lord she loved with all her heart?  Did she stand with confidence, knowing His love for her, and that He knew the greatness of her sacrifice, that it was enough, that she was enough?  Did she care more about the gaze from her God above, than the stares of the surrounding crowd?  Did she feel the enveloping peace of the Spirit confirming that she was known and loved, and that the course of her life, and the size of her offering, was acceptable to Him?


And then my thoughts turned to my life, and my contributions to the kingdom, and how much time I spend comparing my mites to others wealth, or vice versa, and worried about how others are comparing themselves to me.  And how, by entertaining the fear, worry, anxiety, competition, and other thoughts planted by the adversary, or just inherent to the natural man, I am robbing myself of feeling the peace, joy, and love of the Savior that I could be enjoying in this life, if I would keep my eye single to His glory, and constrain my concern to whether or not my sacrifice is acceptable to Him.  Because He sees all, and keeps things in the proper frame.  He understands me perfectly, and I am so grateful that it is His judgement of me that will stand at the last day, and not my own.

Two different voices speak constantly in our heads.  No man can serve two masters.  And the wolf that lives, is the one you feed.

I don't know what the widow was thinking on that day as she cast in her two mites.  But I hope it was the latter.  I hope she knew her worth as a faithful daughter of God.  I hope she saw love in the face of her Savior, and not the sneer of her peers.  I hope she recognized the magnitude of her contribution. Because I believe, as she tossed in her two mites, she showed unfaltering strength and trust in the Lord, manifesting the widow's true might.