Three sets of people today: Daniel and the men of Judah, the wealthy people and the poor widow. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah sound a lot like you: “young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment.”
Come to think of it, the wealthy people sound like us too. They’re wealthy. Lots of gifts, just like the men of Judah.
And then there is the poor widow. Notice she is defined but what she has lost: no more husband and no more wealth. Poor widow.
That’s who they are. Now look at what they did. We’re told the men of Judah did the right thing, becoming vegetarians rather than breaking the kosher laws.
And the wealthy people did the right thing, too. They put their offering in the treasury. Doesn’t say how much. It could have been a little. It could have been a lot. But they put their offering in the treasury and probably went away satisfied with themselves.
But only the poor widow was worthy of the Lord’s praise, for, we are told, she “gave from her poverty.” The vegetables were probably tasty (after all, we’re told that Daniel and the gang looked better than everyone else after two weeks of a vegan diet) and the wealthy people felt pretty good about putting their envelopes in at Church.
But after giving away those two coins, the poor widow probably had to go to bed with a gnawing hunger, or do without that winter shawl or leave the broken window in the kitchen. The young men gave God their fidelity and the wealthy gave their money, but none were any the worse for wear. But she gave her suffering.
So maybe that’s the reason the Lord pointed her out. Because she gave the most precious gift: her suffering.
