January 15th Daily Devotion

Volume XVII Number 13 – August 28, 2025 

Even More Radically Generous  Last week I wrote about a zillionaire who is planning to leave the bulk of his gargantuan estate to charitable causes. Today’s Perspectives article is about two very poor, almost penniless widows in the Bible, who were even more radically generous than the zillionaire.  The first story is in Mark 12:41–44: Jesus sat down [in the temple] opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins.  Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”  Jesus highlighted this woman, a poor widow. He praised her for putting in the temple treasury all she owned, all she had to live on. According to my calculations, those two small copper coins were worth about one eighth of one penny. In contrast, the rich gave from their abundance.  Every time I read that story, I wonder whether this dear lady, now with nothing left to live on, subsequently and miraculously received provisions for daily living, as did the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17, our second story for today.  During a time of severe drought, the widow of Zarephath used her last bit of flour and oil to bake a cake for the prophet Elijah, at his request, and with his promise that her provisions would not run out.  Miraculously, she continued to have enough flour and oil to provide for herself, her family, and Elijah, until abundant rain ended the drought.  In both cases, two poor widows gave all they had to live on. Their gifts, one to the temple, the other for God’s prophet, were more than just casual donations. Both knew the meaning of sacrificial generosity!  And though the actual monetary value of the widows’ gifts was nearly negligible, in the eyes of our Lord those two gifts were even more radically generous than that of the zillionaire.  Whenever I’m tempted to pat myself on the back for the gifts Terry and I give every year to our favorite charitable causes, which, though generous, are nowhere near all we have to live on, the stories of these two remarkable women remind me of the real meaning of radical generosity.     

Dr. Gerald B. "Jerry" Kieschnick 
Chief Executive Officer | Legacy Deo | GBKies@gmail.com | www.legacydeo.org | (512) 646-4909 

Our Mission: To inspire giving that impacts life forever. 

Opinions in Perspectives are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the position of any group or organization. 

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Dr. Jerry Kieschnick  
Legacy Deo  2901 Caballo Ranch Blvd, Ste 4D  
Cedar Park, Texas 78641