December 21: Luke 21 Devotional

The Gift of the Widow

When things in my life are complex, the story of the widow’s gift helps me get through them. Even though she was on the periphery of society and avoided by most people, this woman found it in herself to give what little she had. There were no drum rolls or fanfare—just a simple act of kindness that didn’t mean much. But didn’t God see her two copper coins as worth more than a millionaire’s vault?

Have you ever thought that a few cents wouldn’t make a difference? If you look at how much this woman gave, it was a small amount compared to the Temple’s wealth, but it meant a lot to Jesus.

What did He see? He saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury and a poor woman putting two mites. So He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has given more than all of them. They gave offerings for God from their plenty, but she gave all she had to live on from her poverty.” Luke 21:1-4

The widow’s sacrifice was a great example of selfless living. She spoke in a whisper, “Take my two little coins.” “They’re not much, but they’re all I have.” She gave everything she had, even though she was poor. Only Jesus in the Temple noticed this kind act of kindness. Everyone else there didn’t. It was louder to him than all the other noise in the Temple that day when those two small coins hit the bottom of the collection box. Jesus knew how much her gift was worth. He knew she gave it because she had complete faith that God would meet her needs.

We can learn valuable things from this:

Heart Rather Than Amount: Her gift shows us that the reason we give is more important than the amount. As Christians, we should give because we want to, not because we have to or want to be noticed.

Sacrificial Giving: The widow demonstrated sacrificial giving, surrendering all she had to God. It reveals the depth of her trust and reverence for her Creator.

We should think about how we give after learning these powerful lessons.

The Temple being destroyed (Jesus’ death)

Now, let’s talk about something more profound: the scary prediction that Jesus made about the destruction of the Temple was a sign of His death. At first, the disciples were amazed by how beautiful the building was, and who could blame them? But Jesus burst their bubble by telling them it would end badly. There must have been a big surprise!

Do you remember the story about “truth is stranger than fiction”? The things Jesus said seemed like they couldn’t possibly be true. His friends were amazed by how beautiful and grand the Temple was, so they were shocked when Jesus told them it would be destroyed.

That was a powerful image! The destruction of the physical Temple foretold the end of the body of Christ, which was a human house where God lived. At first, people would ignore Jesus’ death, just like they overlooked the widow’s offering. At times, it feels like a beautiful and ironic dance.

The significant part is here: Even though Jesus’ death was sad, it meant something vital. It was like the first light of dawn after a long night. The resurrection of Christ was a victory over sin and death. The destroyed building was an allegory for Christ, who rose from the grave and was triumphant over death and the grave.

Signs That the End Is Near

Last but not least, have you ever felt like reading about the signs of the end times was like figuring out a complex puzzle book written in a different language? Who can stay on top?

Jesus tells us about false teachers, wars, and earthquakes that will happen in the future. He tells His followers that they will be persecuted, but He also says that they will be safe if they endure.

The words in Luke 21 about the promise are somber, but there is hope. The text clarifies that God is still in charge despite predicted chaos and hardships. During these predictions, Jesus tells us, “Not a hair on your head will fall off.” “Be strong, and you will win this life.” Luke 21:18–19

This claim tells us two significant things:

God’s Protection: God is watching you even when things go wrong. There will still be hard times, but they won’t beat us because God is with us.

Endurance as Key: Jesus tells us to keep our faith even when things get complicated. Going through hard times isn’t about coming out of them unharmed but becoming stronger afterward.

When things get hard, our faith might start to weaken. When this happens, Luke 21 talks about having faith in God even when things are going badly. We should keep our hopes up because we know God’s promises will come true.

As the world gets increasingly crazy, these signs tell us to keep our faith in God’s eternal plan.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Luke 21:33

The Bible is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. It is a lighthouse of unchanging truth in a constantly changing world. This truth should make us want to live a life of unwavering faith and loyalty. That would show how much we value the Bible the most.