Many people measure generosity by the size of the gift. God doesn’t. In fact, one of the most powerful biblical finance principles in all of Scripture comes from a woman who gave the biblical equivalent to a penny.
Here’s the lesson: It is not about how much you give, but how much your giving costs you. The condition of your heart far outweighs the sum of your giving.
Jesus uses a specific moment at the Temple to illustrate this to His disciples.
“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke 21:3-4, NKJV)
In those days, widows were stuck. Once their husbands passed away, they were largely dependent upon the charity of others to survive. This context makes the widow’s gift all the more striking. A mite was roughly 1% of a standard day’s wage. Jesus makes clear that this was everything she had to live on. And yet, she gave it to God.
God’s scales weigh differently. People were bringing gifts to the temple treasury all day, and you can bet these were people of means. Just a few verses later, the disciples comment on how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and donations. But Jesus says the widow gave more than anyone else combined. Not just proportionally more than each person—more than all of them together.
Here are three ways we can apply the lesson of the widow’s mites to our lives:
1. Don’t Wait.
You have so much to give right now. You do not have to wait for the opportune moment to offer your money, time, and talents as sacrificial giving to God.
It can be tempting to say in our hearts, “I’ll serve God when…”
Yet, God notices when we give out of our poverty, and it matters more than when we give from our abundance.
So, don’t wait when it comes to
- Your finances: Give your tithes and offerings now, even if you’re still working to get out of debt. Giving is an essential part of walking with Jesus, not a reward for financial stability.
- Your calling: Start that business or ministry God is stirring in you. You don’t need to have it all figured out first.
- Your relationships: Serve your family, friends, and community right where you are, not once life feels more settled.
- Your ministry: Step into that area of obedience before you feel confident or equipped. God equips the called.
- Your witness: Share your faith boldly. We don’t know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return.
2. Go all in…
The widow could have given one mite—in her state, that still would have been commendable. But she gave it all.
Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of God is worth going all in. Matthew 13:44-46 says “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
This man forsakes every other investment to be a part of the Kingdom. And God gives us that opportunity today. Every time you give something in Jesus’ name, you are partnering with the work God is doing in the world. You get to taste heaven now.
Not only that, but sacrificial giving anchors us in what’s truly valuable. The Kingdom of God is the most valuable place to put your time, talent, and treasure.
Stanley Tam, a prolific businessman and evangelist, shared the following story about making God his business partner. One evening in prayer, God spoke to him:
“’Stanley, if a soul is the most precious thing in the world, would you go back to the United States and turn your entire business over to me? And would you use the profits to spread the gospel around the world?’”
“Lord, you already have 51 percent of it,” Stanley replied. “Isn’t that enough?”
Then Stanley sensed God saying to him, “Stanley, on the cross, I paid it all for you. Now you’re my disciple. And I want you to do what I ask.”
Stanley Tam’s business continued to grow. He gave over $140 million dollars over 50 years, supporting thousands of church plants, and helping approximately 140,000 make decisions for Christ in his lifetime (and he lived to be 107!)
As we walk with the Lord, He leads us into greater surrender. God guards our hearts through sacrificial giving. In this way, He makes sure we don’t elevate anything of this world over the place He has in our hearts. And we continue to give to the areas with the most eternal value.
3. …with everything.
We all have areas of our lives where it’s easy to go all in, and we all have areas where it can be a challenge.
Jesus makes it plain when He says, “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” (Luke 14:33, NLT) This is the foundational biblical finance principle: it all belongs to Him.
For me, there came a time where sacrificial giving wasn’t so much about money. Once I reached financial freedom, my investments were paying me more than enough, and I didn’t want to work anymore. Giving tithes and offerings brought me joy, but the harder sacrifice was my time.
My wife Mrs. Becky will tell you that there was a season when all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and play golf. But, God had greater plans. I had a decision to make—would I give God full authority over my plans and schedule, or would I live the way Billy wanted to live? Thankfully, with the help of the Holy Spirit and my wife, I made the right choice.
Today, I am so grateful to be a part of what He is doing through WealthBuilders, Tricord Global, and Andrew Wommack Ministries. But it comes at the cost of my comfort, every single day. You’ve heard it said that the best things in life are outside of your comfort zone. That’s true for the things of God, too.
Related: Biblical Retirement: 3 Steps to Dream a New Dream with God
—
Consider: what sacrifice is God leading you to make in this season of your life? What would going “all in” look like for you?
We’d love to know what stands out to you from the story of the widow’s mites. Let us know in the comments!
Be Part of What God Is Doing in South Africa!
WealthBuilders is equipping believers in Africa with Kingdom principles for business, real estate, and ministry. Lives are being transformed.
Through your support, we’re able to host our annual conference in Johannesburg at a price that’s accessible to local attendees, while covering most of the event costs behind the scenes.
Our next conference is June 19–20, 2026, and you can be part of the impact—no travel required.
If this mission resonates with you, consider giving today and helping equip leaders across Africa.
Select WealthBuilders Africa in the drop down menu.
