I think I know how much the widow’s mites were worth. It’s approximately $4.24.
Sophia has a piggy bank with 4 sections and she gets a dime every time she makes her bed. Her grandpa gave the small piggy bank so she could learn how to save, spend, invest and give. Sophia is only 4 1/2, so this is an impressive lesson to be learning at such a young age.
Last month we spoke at Sophia’s church and visited with her parents who are long time friends. In the weeks leading up to our visit, Sophia’s parents told her about us going to be missionaries and a little about the work we’ll be doing. While we were there, she emptied the 4th section of her piggy bank – the “give” section.
This is what the give section contained:
• 2 one dollar bills
• 4 quarters
• 10 dimes
• 2 nickels, and
• 14 pennies
Sophia presented her offering in a Ziploc bag with an index card that read “for sinde and ryan.” Easily the smallest gift from the smallest giver to date, we are reminded of a widow who gave her “mite”, two small copper coins which was all she had to live on (Mark 12).
I don’t really know how to adjust two copper coins for inflation, but I bet it’s about $4.24. Obviously these gifts teach about the importance of what the gift means to the giver.
Because what we’re doing is important to Sophia, every $4.24 we spend is important to us. The mite, then, becomes equally significant for us as we seek to be good stewards of every dollar and coin donated.
Cindy Clark and her husband, Ryan, were appointed as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship affiliates in June. They are soon on their way to the Philippines to teach pastoral care and music at the Philippines Baptist Theological Seminary, to increase awareness of human trafficking in Asia, and to partner with local churches in their efforts to rebuild after four consecutive typhoons. To read more about their new adventure, visit their website.