Giving That Gets God’s Attention

Exegetical Idea

Jesus observes temple giving and praises a poor widow who, though giving little materially, gives more spiritually because she offers her whole heart and trust to God.

Homiletical Idea

True stewardship isn’t about how much we give, but how sincerely and sacrificially we give from the heart.

Dominant Thought

God measures the motive, not the amount.

Propositional Statement

Since God measures the heart behind the gift, we must give not for show or surplus, but as an act of sincere worship and trust.

Aim of the Hearer

We will give with sincerity, sacrifice, and trust — understanding that when our heart is in the gift, God’s hand moves in our favor.

Mark 12:41–44 (ESV) 41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Introduction

When Jesus walked into the Temple that day, He didn’t head for the platform — He sat by the offering box. No spotlight. No mic. Just a seat where He could see hearts in motion. He wasn’t watching the money — He was watching the motives.

The rich came through first — dressed to impress, dropping coins loud enough for everyone to notice. Then came a widow — quiet, unnoticed, with two small coins. No show, no sound, just surrender. And Jesus said, “She gave more than all of them.”

Now I know when folks hear a sermon on giving, some folks tighten up. But hear me — this isn’t about money; it’s about meaning. It’s about trust. God isn’t after your wallet; He’s after your worship.

Transition: And as Jesus sat across from the treasury, He wasn’t just people-watching — He was heart-reading. And what He saw that day still speaks to us right now. Here’s the first truth we need to hold on to today…

God Sees How We Give

Mark 12:41 ESV

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.

Verse 41 says, “Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched.”

The Temple had metal trumpet-shaped offering chests. When the rich gave, they made sure their coins clanged loud enough to echo. It was all about the sound and the show.

But Jesus wasn’t impressed by the sound — He was tuned in to the spirit behind the gift. Because in the Kingdom, God doesn’t measure by the noise you make but by the sincerity you bring.

Today, giving can look the same way. Folks post it, record it, hashtag it — #BlessedToBeABlessing. But Heaven doesn’t scroll social media. God listens for faith, not fame.

Then came the widow — no status, no crowd, no spotlight. She didn’t give to be seen; she gave because she believed. And while the crowd missed her, Jesus called her out as the real MVP of the moment.

Let’s be real — you can fool the ushers, you can impress the crowd, but you can’t fake it with God. He sees right past the envelope and straight into your motive.

Application: God doesn’t need to see the hand that gives — He already knows the heart behind it. So don’t get stuck comparing what you give to what somebody else gives. The question isn’t how much you’re giving — it’s how much of you is in your giving.

God isn’t impressed by the size of the check if the heart is missing, but He’s also not pleased when we hold back and call it humility. The widow didn’t give less because she had less — she gave all she could because she loved much.

Don’t use “God knows my heart” as an excuse to give comfortably — let it be the reason you give courageously. Because when you give from a place of trust, you’re not losing — you’re investing in eternity.

Run: Some people give to be seen — but she gave because she believed. Some give to be praised — she gave out of pain. Some give what’s easy — she gave what hurt.

And Jesus said, that’s what greatness looks like in the Kingdom. Not the loudest gift, but the deepest sacrifice. Not the biggest offering, but the boldest faith.

So don’t let your lack stop you — let your faith lead you. God ain’t checking your wallet — He’s checking your worship. And when you give from the bottom, Heaven takes notice from the top.

Now here’s the thing: this widow could’ve said, “I just don’t have it!” She could’ve walked away saying, “God knows my heart.” And she would’ve been right — He does. But she didn’t use that as an excuse. She gave anyway. Why? Because she trusted Him. She believed that even her little meant something in God’s hands. She didn’t give out of abundance — she gave out of belief.

Encouraging Challenge: Don’t miss your moment trying to measure up to someone else’s blessing. God’s not asking you to give what you don’t have — He’s asking you to trust Him with what you do. That widow didn’t wait until she had more — she gave what she had, and it moved the heart of Jesus. So here’s the challenge: give like Heaven is watching, because it is. Don’t hold back your faith, your love, your time, your resources — even if it feels small. In God’s hands, small seeds grow into Kingdom-sized impact. The world may overlook your gift, but God never will. Give with boldness. Give with joy. Give like it matters — because to God, it does.

Now I know somebody’s thinking, “Here we go again — another sermon about money.” Let me help you right here — this isn’t about money; this is about meaning. It’s about trust.

See, Jesus wasn’t sitting by the treasury to count coins — He was sitting there to call hearts. The problem ain’t money — it’s motive. The church doesn’t want your wallet — God wants your worship.

And I get it. Some folks have seen preachers misuse money, ministries mishandle funds, and people get hurt. But don’t let a few bad examples rob you of the blessing of obedience. When you give through the church, you’re not giving to man — you’re giving through man to God.

And here’s the truth — if money can’t leave your hand, it probably still has your heart. God doesn’t want to take from you — He wants to free you. Giving ain’t about losing something — it’s about letting go of what’s holding you.

Transition: Now if the first thing we learn is that God sees how we give, the next truth digs even deeper — because it’s not just about the act, it’s about the cost. Jesus doesn’t just watch the hand — He weighs the heart. And that brings us to our second point…

God Honors What It Costs

Mark 12:44 ESV

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Jesus said, 'They all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had.' This wasn’t just about how much she gave — it was about what it cost her to give it. The others gave from their overflow; she gave from her survival. For them, it was extra. For her, it was everything.

This wasn’t about money — this was about trust. About surrender. Her two little coins didn’t change the Temple budget, but they revealed a heart fully surrendered to God. She didn’t give because she had enough — she gave because she believed God was enough. That’s what made her offering powerful. Not the amount, but the faith it took to release it.

See, point one reminded us that God sees how we give — but point two shows us that God honors what it costs. He doesn’t just observe the motion of giving, He honors the sacrifice behind it. The Kingdom doesn’t measure generosity by comfort — it measures it by commitment.

Illustration: Think about someone who shows up to serve at church after working a night shift. They didn’t have to — they’re tired, worn down, could’ve stayed home — but they show up anyway. Or that college student who gives from their refund check, not because they have it like that, but because they believe God will provide. That’s costly. That’s real. That’s the kind of giving that makes God say, 'Now that’s faith.'

This isn’t just a story to admire — it’s a model to follow. Jesus isn’t just pointing out what she gave; He’s inviting us to consider how we give, and what it’s costing us. Real faith shows up when generosity stretches us beyond comfort.

Encouraging Challenge: Let’s be honest — it’s easy to give when it doesn’t stretch us. But the real power is in the sacrifice. So here’s the challenge: don’t just give what’s safe — give what’s surrendered. Let your giving be a declaration of trust. Let it cost you something. Not because God needs your stuff, but because He wants your heart. And when you give like that — when it costs, when it stretches, when it’s uncomfortable — that’s when it becomes worship. That’s when it becomes holy. That’s when it becomes a seed Heaven can multiply.

Transition: Here’s the tension in the text — Jesus saw her give everything she had… and He let her. He didn’t stop her. He didn’t say, ‘That’s too much.’ He didn’t pull her aside and say, ‘You need this more than the Temple does.’ No — He let her give it all. And that can mess with us a little, right? Because we think, if God really cares, shouldn’t He step in and protect her?

But Jesus wasn’t being careless — He was being intentional. He knew that what she was doing wasn’t about money — it was about trust. It was about surrender. And sometimes, God lets us give in ways that stretch us, not to take from us, but to grow something in us. Because protected faith never matures. But surrendered faith? That’s the kind God rewards.

Now watch what happens next…

God Rewards the Heart That Trusts

Mark 12:43 ESV

43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

After Jesus lets her give everything, He turns to His disciples and says something wild: 'She gave more than all of them.' Wait, what? She gave two coins. They gave bags. But Jesus says she gave more.

Why? Because Heaven doesn’t count like we count. Down here, we measure what’s in the hand. Up there, God measures what’s in the heart. She gave the least in amount, but the most in faith. And when trust is part of the transaction, small becomes significant.

This isn’t prosperity hype — it’s biblical truth. Luke 6:38 says, ‘Give, and it will be given to you — good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.’ That’s not just about money — it’s about motive. When your giving is drenched in trust, God multiplies what’s left in ways you can’t explain.

Luke 6:38 ESV

38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

That widow didn’t give to get — she gave because she trusted. And that trust moved Jesus so deeply, He made sure her story would be told for generations. She didn’t just give an offering — she gave an example.

And here’s something even more powerful: her reward wasn’t just provision — it was perpetuity. She gave quietly, but Heaven amplified her sacrifice eternally. She doesn’t have a name in the text, but her faith made her unforgettable. Her two coins are still preaching today. That’s what God does with surrendered hearts — He turns simple moments into eternal impact.

Application: You may not have much, but when your heart is right, your little becomes much in the hands of God. So don’t hold back just because what you have feels small. When you give with faith, Heaven leans in. When you trust God with what’s in your hands, He releases what’s in His. Your job is to trust — His job is to multiply. And just like the widow, your obedience may echo far beyond your lifetime.

Conclusion:

Church, I came to tell somebody today — God is not looking at the zeroes on your check, He’s looking at the zeal in your chest! He’s not counting your coins, He’s weighing your commitment! And if you give with faith, if you give with trust, if you give with a heart that says, ‘Lord, I don’t have much, but I give You my all’ — then Heaven will open up windows you didn’t even know were there! That widow didn’t have a name, but she had a testimony! She didn’t have a title, but she had trust! She didn’t bring a bag, but she brought her belief! And Jesus said, ‘She gave more than all of them!’ Why? Because God doesn’t bless based on what’s in your hand — He blesses based on what’s in your heart! I dare you to give God your little and watch Him do a lot! I dare you to give Him your two coins and watch Him release two miracles! I dare you to trust Him when it doesn’t make sense, and praise Him when it doesn’t add up! Because when you give with faith — Heaven leans in! When you give with trust — God steps in! When you give with sacrifice — the supernatural shows up! She gave and walked away… but her story stayed! She gave and disappeared… but her faith kept preaching! And I don’t know who I’m talking to, but if you give from the heart, God will make sure your sacrifice echoes through eternity! So give like it matters! Give like you believe! Give like you trust the One who gave it all for you! Because when you give from the bottom, God responds from the top! Can I get a witness in here? Somebody shout — I’m giving with trust! Somebody holler — I’m giving with faith! Somebody declare — I may not have much, but I’m giving my all! And when you give your all, God will give you more than enough! Yes He will! Won’t He do it? Say yeah! Say yeah! Say YEAH!!! Now go give like Heaven is watching — because it is!