Article October 2, 1926 Issue

The Widow's Mite

GILBERT C. CARPENTER, JR.

In the Gospel of Mark it is stated that once when Jesus beheld a certain poor widow cast two mites into the treasury of the temple, "he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." On page 7 of "Christian Healing" Mary Baker Eddy writes, "The Master of metaphysics, reading the mind of the poor woman who dropped her mite into the treasury, said, 'She hath cast in more than they all.'" And, judged by the usual standard of values, her offering was indeed significant, since the mite was the smallest coin in circulation at that time. Jesus was therefore not judging from a material, but from a spiritual standpoint. He saw in the woman's consciousness a quality of thought that caused him to place more value on her gift than on those of all the rest.

What a blessing that Christian Science has come to this age to throw light on the Bible and to explain the seeming obscurity of its teachings! Christian Science shows that this simple episode involves a scientific law which, when properly applied, will heal poverty as well as other discords. To-day thousands of grateful hearts can testify that poverty and limitation have been overcome in their lives by a faithful study and application of this law as taught in Christian Science. Jesus stated it in his sermon on the Mount in such declarations as the following: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow;" and again: "Give, and it shall be given unto you. ... For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." The unchangeable law expressed in these statements is based on the fact that God is All-in-all, and that He is Mind. It follows that the substance of Mind must be expressed in ideas. As Mrs. Eddy writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 307): "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an everpresent help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment." Then comes the test of our faith, namely, our willingness to look no farther than to-day for supply, and to give of what we have, lovingly, where God directs.

Let us apply this to the story under consideration. The woman is spoken of as a widow, which indicates that she had lost a certain human means of support. So the act of putting into the treasury "all her living" showed that she had received in some measure the right ideas of faith and unselfishness—faith in God's infinite abundance and ability to care for her and supply her needs, and the recognition of her privilege to give from this standpoint of trust in God, with "no thought for the morrow." Was it not this which Jesus discerned in the woman's consciousness, and which elicited his commendation? Did not her faith and unselfishness constitute the supreme value of her gift? Why? Because these qualities are right ideas, which emanate from God, divine Mind. Wherever these right ideas find an entrance into human consciousness, they destroy limitation and lack, replacing them with true affluence.

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