"And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all." Luke 21:1-3(NKJ)

As Jesus watched people coming forward to put their offerings in the treasury many who were well off put in nice sized offerings, for they had money to spare. As He watched with His disciples, an elderly woman comes up and puts in what would be equivalent to less than two cents in today's money. This really got the attention of Jesus! Jesus told His disciples to take note, for all the rich came forward putting in large amounts of what they had left over. But, this poor widow didn't put in what she had left over, but all that she had! Jesus declares, through this act of loving sacrifice, this woman had truly put in more than everyone else.

This poor woman was giving more than money; she was giving herself. She was holding nothing back from the Lord. God doesn't want our money, He wants us! When we give all of who we are to the Lord our finances just naturally follow. But, when we merely give our left over money, and not all that we are, we are short-changing God. God desires and intimate relationship with us and this can only be achieved when we willing lay all we have and all we are before our loving Father in Heaven. We must realize that God is asking us to do nothing more than He has already done for us, and when we take this into account, laying our lives down before the One who loves us is not such a difficult task!

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him." Romans 12:1 (NLT)