When Jesus entered Jerusalem looking for the fruit of faith and love for God, He found the fruit He desired in a poor widow. As He prepared to give His life as a ransom for the salvation of sinners, He highlighted the fruit of faith and love for God in another woman. In both cases, their names are not mentioned in the Gospel of Mark, but their examples are appreciated by Jesus as the kind of faith and love for God that He commends.
“Jesus sat down 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, worth only a few cents.
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 everything—all she had to live on.’” [1]
“While He was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.
Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly.
‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” [2]
“Holy Spirit, please fill us with a faith and love for Messiah like these two women exhibited.”
[1] Mark 12:41-44
[2] Mark 14:3-9
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