Notes

• Mark 12:41-44

• If Jesus is giving more than a participation award for the widow, we need to look more closely at this story.

• Why was she celebrated by Jesus? Because she's an embodiment of the kingdom lessons Jesus has been sharing the past few chapters in Mark (contra the scribes from last week).

• This widow gave enough, despite what anyone else might have thought--Jesus sees things differently than we do.

• The widow gave everything she had. This radical gratuitousness is meant to characterize every Christian, as we worship a gratuitous God and are filled with that God's gratuitous Spirit.

Questions

• Do you think this widow felt like she'd given enough?

• Do you ever feel like you don't have enough to give to God? Does that either (a) compel you to give up and self-destruct, or (b) compel you to frantic overwork and self-cricitism, or (c) something else?

• How can you see God's gratuitousness in your own life?

• How might you imitate this poor widow this week?