"I Think He Knew"

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Him and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood. Mark 12:41-44
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Today's message is going to be pretty short and sweet and despite the fact that this event is only four verses long it always gives me the opportunity to see the heart of our Lord. I love that He was just sitting there observing the people; taking time to notice them. It reminds me of  Psalm 139:1-6 where it says, " O Lord, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high and I cannot attain it." And with that in mind was He? Was He just sitting there observing or was He waiting? Was He waiting to give this widow the recognition and commendation that she deserved? Was it a coincidence that He took advantage of in order to teach His disciples an important truth or was He watching and waiting because He knew she would come? Personally, I think He knew she would come and what she would do!

According to this Psalm He would have been acquainted with all her ways. He would have known that she would come and give all she had. He knew that she had a heart that would give even though she didn't have much. He knew her and He knew that those two mites was all she had! He knew the details of her life and her giving. He knew her and He knows us as well. He knows when we give out of our abundance and He knows when we are giving out of our poverty and I'm not just talking about money either. He knows our heart and He knows our motives. I don't think it is an accident that in the three preceding verses He was teaching them and said, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

It doesn't take long to learn all the right language and be able to talk the talk of being a follower of Christ. But today, the thing this account reminded me of is this truth; He and He alone truly knows when it is a show and when our motive for giving Him our praise, worship,  time, attention, and or even our money is really from a heart attitude that desires to give all we have or if our giving has a different motive. He knows because He knows us and He knows our coming and our goings and He knows all about our abundance and our poverty. He knows because He has searched our hearts!