This week, we have a special series for our First Word Blog.
For Summers 2005 and 2006, Program Director Jessica “Shadow” Bordeleau created a series of first-person devotions sharing the perspective of different people from the Bible and their interactions with Jesus. Campers would go on a “Jesus Walk” one of their nights at camp and hear from different counselors acting out biblical characters who would tell “their” story to the campers. Here is how that night was introduced to campers:
Tonight is a special devotion. You will go on a journey to see Jesus. You will travel from fire to fire looking for Jesus. You will be led in songs the entire way. You will sing as you walk from fire to fire. One you get to a fire you will sit quietly on the benches and wait to see what will happen. Your journey begins now! Remember you are looking for Jesus.
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The Widows Mite - Mark 12:41-44
Have you ever walked into a room and felt like no one even knew you were there? Are you the one who everyone forgets to invite? Do you feel invisible?
I know what it is like to feel overlooked and worthless. I am a widow. In my culture only men work out of the home, women are too busy running the household to be trained in another job. If your husband dies before your sons are old enough to provide for you there are few options available. Either you marry another man to provide for you and your children, or you are left to the mercy of those around you. That means getting charity –relying on others for food, clothing, and money. A widow is the extreme example of a dependent, needy person who has no way to fend for herself.
When my husband died I was alone. My house was empty, I was empty. I loved him so much. Nothing would ever be the same again. Instead of the wife of a self sufficient man, I became another widow that relied on charity.
Nobody noticed me anymore. I felt so alone. I thought that maybe God forgot about me. There was another widow in my town, but she had it worse than I did. She had a son, just at the age that he could start to provide for her...and then he died. I was at his funeral procession, it was heart breaking. . A traveling teacher, a rabbi named Jesus was there. He was so moved with compassion for the woman that he touched the coffin and spoke to the dead body – you might find this hard to believe but it is true! He brought the widow’s son back to life! This was not just a man, this was the Son of God and He noticed a poor widow and gave her back her son. He hadn’t forgotten her, He didn’t over look her
After that, my consolation was the love of God. Even though my husband was gone – I knew that God’s love would last forever and that He would provide for me. I knew that I would never be wealthy again and perhaps I would be hungry from time to time...but God was with me, He still loved me.
I was full of such love from God that I overflowed with love FOR God. I wanted to support the temple and God’s work that happened there. I wanted to give the LORD a wonderful offering, I wanted to give so much… but I didn’t have anything to give. The money was gone – I only had a few little coins left to buy food. As I walked through the temple, in the court of the women, I could see the gold inverted trumpet. The containers that offerings were dropped into. The Pharisees and other rich people seemed to give so much, I could hear the clanking of their coins against the metal. I looked down at the two little copper coins in my hand… what a meager offering compared to all that God has given me. Out of love for God I dropped in all the money I had and walked away.
No one else took any note of me, but Jesus did. He noticed my little offering and told those around Him that I gave more than all the others because I gave all I had. Why would such a great teacher notice me? I am a widow; the very poorest of people, why would he pay attention to my little offering?
God sees us, hears us, NOTICES US! He loves us so much. He sees what we offer Him – no matter how little that offering may seem. No matter what you think of yourself, no matter how terribly people treat you – GOD NOTICES YOU and He loves you. He loved you enough He died for you. If you were the only person in the whole world Jesus would still have died just for you. My prayer is that you know this, remember this and live this. God notices you. You are not invisible, you are not worthless. God sees you and loves you.