Today’s Scriptures have one thing in common: It is the profile of a widow. In ancient times, widows needed protection, otherwise they would suffer terribly without help. On one hand, in the OT God commanded the prophet Elijah to be fed by a widow. It turns out as we would expect, she was on her very last meal, yet this is the person God was entrusting his servant to, for his sustenance. It doesn’t seem to make sense right? We usually expect to send a guest to a home that is well to do, instead of one that is poor/ lacking. God does nothing, without a clear purpose: His servant was sent in that household for a reason: to save her and her son. What a clear picture of the character of our God reaching out into the world, to bring Salvation and deep healing into our lives. We also see this same divine care/compassion for a poor widow in the NT: Jesus was in observation mode in the Temple. There she was: A poor widow simply putting two coins in the Temple treasury, which btw was everything she had to live on. What was going on in her mind? Why did she do that? It’s highly unusual! Was that a moment of insanity sort of telling God: “
I don’t know what to do but I have faith in you Lord! This is my very last means to live. I might as well give it to you because you know this situation already too well.” If that was exactly what she was thinking, I can understand why Jesus was commending her faith. St John Chrysostom said that she outdid us all in giving. This is incredible because it is teaching us not only about our own level of faith, but also teaching us that perhaps fear has pushed us to rely more on created things instead of the creator.
Fear makes us not to trust. The biggest lesson God taught me about trusting him, was when everything I relied on was taken away. We lost our livelihood, our home, bank accounts, properties, our family members. In hindsight, I survived but I didn’t trust God to save me during the process. Fear ran amok. We were taken care of by strangers the whole time. I knew those strangers were God’s messengers: believers. They became my mother, my brother, my sister. I mourned loss for the longest time, especially relatives who were killed. These strangers with an amazing faith, opened their homes, shared their meals with us. I am convinced that Jesus was commending to us that kind of faith like the widow’s faith because we all need it.
It’s our ultimate realization that often we have a hard time letting go of our crutches (the things in life that we think can save us, but in reality, they can’t save us) It is the exercise to not allow our possessions to become our masters but rather the opposite. Jesus’ observation also, led him to the world of the Scribes and Pharisees and saw their crutches: They were people of honor wearing long robes for respected people. They loved everything that drew the attention to themselves, and loved seats of honor at meals. We don’t have to guess where the focus of their hearts was: on themselves and their own progress in life. Today’s culture would say: Well-done! That’s great! Not the Gospel! It asks us to serve in humility and focus on the good of others. Undeniably, we all have our own crutches… those things we think will ultimately save us and our lifestyles. But God loves to flip the script! Look at who is worthy of receiving the servant of God Elijah? It’s the widow of Zarephath! When on her very last meal, she trusted God by cooking it all for Elijah and God rewarded her of unlimited supply of food for her faith and trust.
The more we rely on our crutches, the less faith we have left in God. There is a savage charge that Jesus brought up: They devoured widow’s houses! Imagine if the Scribes and Pharisees’ livelihood had become reliant Israel’s children meager income, then Jesus saw it as eating them up whole, including widows that needed protection! Very sad and upsetting!
What have I been relying on that has hindered my faith and trust in God? Are there areas of my life that I have not yet surrendered to God, because I am still trying on my own? I need to let go of that control, and entrust everything into God’s hands. It sounds simplistic but God meant it to be simple and often we complicate things.
Let us pray: “
Lord Jesus, Heal my soul from the pursuit of temporal things, so I can focus of things eternal, increase my faith so I can truly entrust my life unto you.”
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