Mark 12:38-34 Dear Partner in Preaching, I do not know what to do with this widow. I am not even sure why Mark shares this story or what Jesus means when he draws the attention of his disciples to her. Most regularly, interpreters over the years offer us two possibilities. She is either an example of incredible stewardship to inspire and motivate us or an example of uncaring exploitation meant to warn and anger us. If the former, then Jesus invites us to imagine that it is not so much the gross amount we give that matters but what that amount means to us. This widow, unlike the scribes, does not give out of a desire to be noticed but rather...

Mark 12:38-44 Dear Partner in Preaching, Sometimes our interpretation of a biblical passage turns on the questions we ask of it. In this case, I want to begin with one central question, not simply for the text, but also for you: How do you hear Jesus’ description of the poor widow’s offering – is it praise or lament? To put it another way: Is Jesus holding up the widow and her offering as an example of great faith and profound stewardship, or is he expressing his remorse that she has given – perhaps feels compelled – to give away the little she has left? I’ll be honest, for most of my life, I’ve assumed it was the former. But...