Heart of the Widows
25th Sunday after Pentecost
1Kings 17:8-16 and Mark 12:38-44
Our scriptures today in both the Old Testament and the New Testament speak to us of the heart of the widows that we read about in these stories.
If you remember last week’s sermon on our first commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our might, we see it reflected in the lives of these two widows.
One crosses the path of Elijah, and the other crosses the path of Jesus?
In our Old Testament, Elijah is sent by “the word of the Lord” to go and seek the widow to whom the Lord has already commanded to feed Elijah.
We have no indication of how it was that Elijah knew the woman picking up the sticks was a widow, or even that she was the widow who had been commanded by God to feed him. It is likely, he recognized this woman as a widow by the way she was dressed, and he calls to her to bring him a little water in a vessel so that he might drink.
Maybe he is waiting to see if she responds so he will know if this is the widow that has been commanded by the Lord to feed him.
She doesn’t seem to hesitate to be inclined to go fetch the water that he has requested, and I’m sure gathering water was much easier than preparing food.
Why Elijah asks first for water, however, is uncertain since the Lord had commanded that she would feed him, indicating that he was to eat. It’s as if he forgets what he is supposed to do until she is on her way to fill the vessel with water.
Then he requests the bread as if he suddenly remembers.
Now, let’s just stop here a minute and think about this scene.
Here is this poor widow out collecting sticks so that she can go back and prepare what sounds like what will be a last meal for her and her son. Then comes along this man asking for water.
I just have this picture in my head of this poor, tired woman picking up sticks, burdened with the fact she has no food to feed herself and her son and they are going to die, and along comes this man asking for water, to which she seems to gladly abide by his wish to go get him water, but then…like people do when you feel like you can’t take one more thing, they ask for something else.
I’m surprised she didn’t throw a stick at him when he asks, “Oh, and by the way, while you are fetching that water, bring me a morsel of bread, too!”
The writer doesn’t say that he asks kindly. It doesn’t say he requested politely. It comes from Elijah as a command without a “please” or “would you mind.”
What in the world is Elijah thinking. Why doesn’t he say, “If you can make me some bread, I’ll go get us some water.”
Obviously, that is not how it worked in the time of Elijah, or in his culture. However, I did consider how times have really changed since the time of Elijah, at least in our culture.
More than that though, I think there is a lot going on between the lines that we don’t know from reading this scripture. We know that Elijah is commanded by the Lord to go to the widow, and we know that the widow is commanded by the Lord to feed him.
Somehow the two of them connect as strangers in order that both commandments can be fulfilled. And when the two commandments are fulfilled, so are their lives.
Elijah receives food, and she and her household not only receive food for the day, but they continue to receive it for many days thereafter.
It is obvious that both Elijah and the widow love the Lord with all the heart, soul, mind, and might because they trust in the commandments given them individually, and reap the benefits both individually and jointly in community.
As we move to the widow in the New Testament, it is a bit of a different scene in that there really is no interaction from the widow in this story with anyone else; other than her observers.
Again, this is another poor widow, and again she obviously loves the Lord because she is bringing all that she has to give for her offering.
Jesus points out that all the scribes are walking around. In fact it sounds as if they are strutting about in their fine attire with their large sums of money, sitting where they can be noticed by all, especially their influential buddies taking the best seats in the synagogues, and dropping in their large sums of money into the treasury.
Jesus warns the disciples to beware of their appearance of greatness. Jesus tells them to “Beware” of boasting in their actions because these are the very people who oppress and take from the poor widows so they can boast and strut.
It is a picture of wealth garnered at the expense of others. It is greed in comparison to someone who comes humbly, being willing to give all they have left to give. Surely, the widow loves the Lord enough to give all she has to give. She gives from her heart not from her pride as the scribes have given.
Our Lord gives us a firm foundation when we engage and respond with all of our being, and when we do, every part of us wants to bring meaning and purpose to our lives and help those around us.
When we are living in the light of our Lord, keeping those two very important first commandments, we really can’t help ourselves because we are filled with the Spirit and we strive to live as a servant of Christ. We want to help each other and our neighbors in whatever ways we are called to help.
Like the widows, we offer ourselves and our gifts out of thanksgiving to all that our Lord has done for us.
Writing in reference to the widow that Jesus observes dropping the coins as her offering, Warren Wiersbe states in his book, “Be Diligent,” ‘If a person is “important” only because of the uniform he wears, the title he bears, or the office he holds, then his “importance” is artificial. It is character that makes a person valuable, and nobody can give you character; you must develop it yourself as you walk with God.
Today we will have a congregational meeting following worship to consider three nominees for Session for the Class of 2027. I believe these three members are stepping forward because they love the Lord with all their heart, and they want to serve this congregation with all they have within them. They want to give of their time and talent all that is required of them by their Lord.
Surely this is a sacrifice for their Lord because they love their Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind and might.
Thanks be to God!