Why is the widow poor? (Mark 12:38-44)
So many stewardship sermons use the woman of Mark 12—lamentably—as an example of the kind of generosity to which we all should aspire.
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Consider how often the Bible talks about widows, who were among the most vulnerable members of society. Theirs were the days before State Farm or Mutual of Omaha, before there would be insurance payouts to cover the bills in the event of your spouse’s death. The inheritance that might go to a surviving spouse today would normally go to the sons back then, and the widow would then be expected to go to live with her oldest son and his family and have them provide for her until she died.
