We call this story, "The Widow's Mite."

A thought comes to mind of a the tiny pea in the pod, with an illustration of Hans Christian Andersen's, "The Princess and the Pea." The tiny thing became a great source of annoyance and attention.

Jesus lifts up the life lesson of a little lady whose gift was greater than any of the mighty and powerful … It was tiny, but it was powerful.

How does this widow inform our thinking about the stewardship of our resources, our lives, our influence, and our world?

I. The BASIS of our STEWARDSHIP

We are all tenants here. We don't "own" this world. God does. (vv 1-12). It is His and when we try to claim it as our own, treat it as our own, or mistreat His messengers, who so often come to us in rags, He stands ready to remind us that He is still in charge.

II. THE BOUNDARIES of our STEWARDSHIP

We have some obligations to "the systems" of this world, but our primary obligation is to God. (vv. 13-17). The government does not and cannot do anything that thwarts the stewardship of our lives. Whatever they take, they take, but what we give to God is ourselves.

III. THE BOXES of our SENSES

Worldly thinking, temporally bounded, is not eternal thinking. (vv 18-27) We not only need to start thinking out of the box, but outside of the boxes of time and space as we know them. How easily distracted we are from our real stewardship when we try to figure everything out in our relentless search for loopholes. Forget dead issues; He is the God of the living!

IV. THE BONDS of our SERVICE

Serving God and following His commands is not a complicated thing. It is all summed up in the law of love. (vv. 28-34) This is a stewardship we can learn. When we start loving God and others, following Jesus is simplified and begins to come easy to us.

V. THE BRANDING of the SON

Jesus is Lord! That is His designation, branding, and name. Jesus teaches this lesson with an open-ended question. He expected His disciples to go off and think about some things and figure them out … but not to over complicate them. Sometimes, He would create a sense of mystery and complexity on one level so that His disciples would turn to the sheer simplicity of the matter —- "Follow me." Stewardship is simply about following Jesus. (vv. 35-37).

VI. THE BLASPHEMY of the "SAINTS."

…  or "Beware of lawyers …" :) — actually, people who think they have power over us spiritually and in other ways. Some folks think they are saintlier than others and they have the degrees, titles, power, and wealth the prove it! They delight in recognition and special privileges and, in the process, abuse the poor and weak. We need to beware and make sure we stay free in Christ … and that we do not become those people. (vv. 38-40).

VII. THE BEAUTY of our SACRIFICES

On this Veteran's Day Sunday, we honor people who were willing to sacrifice their lives. Following Jesus involves laying our lives on the altar and becoming living sacrifices as well. (Romans 12) That brings us to the PEA POD (vv. 41-44. see also Hebrews 9:24-28.):

The Widow's SACRIFICE of GIVING was a thing of BEAUTY to Jesus. It illustrated three truths about how we give something beautiful, acceptable, and useful to God.

The PEA

P = Out of POVERTY 

She did not give out of abundance or rely on abundance. She did not abound in things. She gave out of extreme personal poverty as did the Macedonians in II Corinthians 8:2. We cannot measure the significance of tiny things that become great. every pea in the pod can become a giver of great life.

E = EVERYTHING she had .

She emptied herself of all her resources. She gave it all as did Jesus, as Paul described Him in Philippians 2:7. Good is sensitive to tiny gifts as was the princess in Andersen's story. Little becomes much.

A = ALL she had TO LIVE ON!!!

That was it. The repercussions of giving everything were that — THAT WAS ALL … There was nothing left. She, like the widow in of Zarapheth, would just have to die. That adds meaning to the admonition to count the cost. We are all willing to give if we think it won't hurt. She gave with humility and grace, perhaps even with joy. It would cost her, but after counting the cost, she gave anyway …. Which put her back at the contextual, point I – Absolute reliance on the planter of the vineyard to provide for her needs.

This widow, humble, quiet, and maligned, became the example for us all to follow, of pea pod stewardship and giving. it is all His stuff and we are tenants.

Our obligations are to God.

Our thinking needs de-stinking.

Our bonds are bonds of love.

We follow only one Master.

Many will try to manipulate us, malign us, and manage us, but He will use the tiniest things to make the biggest points.

In the meantime, it is little things that mean a lot.

We know Jesus is the true Prince because he notices the smallest things.