The Price is Might
Part IV of Epic Mini-Series: Horseshoes, Handgrenades and Gifts He’ll Love.
Universes Colliding!
Pump the brakes there, George Lucas. I know you think you should start out with Part IV, but this life-altering saga is best enjoyed from the beginning. You can start this glorious ongoing earth opera here: Part I: Duck is Cover. And don’t worry, it’s a link you can safely click, because: no Jar-Jar.
Read Part I…
Scripture
And [Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 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. 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.”
Mark 4:12
Part IV: The Price is Might.
Now, a bazillion years later, it’s the Son of David doing all the talking – but, like GOD said back at the beginning, it’s still Abel speaking.
Jesus observes a widow going all-in on a gift to the offering box and took advantage of the teaching moment to help His disciples learn about gifts that God loves to receive. While Jesus is really intentional about exactly how much she faithfully gave to the Temple, His point is: the real gift isn’t the money.
Or, is it?
Come to think of it, the ONLY thing Jesus mentions about her gift to Himself is about the money, itself. Kind of like how in Genesis 4 the only insight we get about the magic of Abel’s gift is a description of the animal, itself.
So, we’re talking about the gift, I guess?
OK. Purely from a shallow perspective, outside looking in, let’s start with sheer numbers:
There are many a similarity between Genesis 4 and Mark 4 with regards to their respective gifts’ quantity. So much so it’s almost like the total is the thing God was actually measuring the whole time. But, with respect to both Abel and the widow a quick glance at their giving statements would show they gave but a little, relative to their peers:
She gave a couple copper coins – a mere penny – whereas the rich dudes gave mightily.
And inherently, one little baby animal from Abel is significantly fewer than the bushel of mature crops from Cain.
Neither one of them would capture the attention of the associate operations pastor as he looked over the giving the following Monday, but both, Abel and the widow receive lasting commendation from God while their counterparts receive condemnation.
So with God, size doesn’t matter?
OK. Purely from a types perspective, inside to outside, let’s talk about inherent characteristics:
There’s also a lot of overlap between these two passages with regards to the quality of each of the other’s gifts. But really, the resemblance they share is only in the lack thereof. Two small copper coins. A suckling something. Not only are these both insignificant unto themselves, they’re both relatively nonfunctional – unless you ironically, amass more of them – even possibly serving to cause their owner a significant liability, as the one carrying them around.
Respectively, the widow and Abel are looked down upon as the least of these by those above and before them, and their gifts would only lend further to any preconceived notions of their meaningless valuation – but both, Abel and the widow, exclusively acquire the attention, affection, and acceptance from Almighty God.
So with God, it’s not the size that matters, but how you can’t use it?
OK. If its NOT the gift that counts – or, I think, just based on how Scripture usually plays out, it IS the gift that counts, but usually only ironically – then it must be something else?
But, that CAN’T be right. Literally EVERYTHING God commands in all of Scripture between these two specific Scriptures is He’ll only accept the first, the best, the perfect, and the pure – these two gave things not really worth anything, let alone how they gave them – tossed in a box and torn apart on an altar – made their reverence pretty irrelevant to anyone or any One, else.
So what is it?
OK. Straight from a shadow’s perspective, front to back of the Book, it must actually be the thought that counts, then.
Possibly? But finally, this is where the two passages in Scripture ironically begin to diverge. Because, unlike the widow, Abel didn’t give all that he had. Back in Genesis 4 God is specific to point out that Abel gave the first born from his flock.
For those playing at home, ‘flock’ is plural. That means Abel didn’t just have options, he had a safety net.
Jesus said this widow doesn’t.
She gave, “all that she had to live on.”
So, the recognition He gives for the mighty risks she was taking with the little she had left makes a lot of sense to those of us who know a little something about, Faith. But, if after his sacrifice of a little animal to God Abel still had sustenance left, why does God credit him with the same?
What do we know?
Up at the front of Hebrews 11 God is intentional about telling us that Abel gave in faith, which pleased Him, mightily. And again, pretty much the ONLY thing we know about the gift he gave back in Genesis 4 is that it was the firstborn from his flock.
Obviously, firstborn is the very first one to come out. But inherently, for all the credit God is heaping on Abel right now, I think it’s really likely that when he’s giving the firstborn of his flock, Abel’s giving away the only born of his flock, thus far.
And like they always say: a domesticated baby ox in the hand is worth two in the uterus.
Actually, that’s true. Anyone who knows a little something about growing, or raising your own food, knows that even if he’s certain he’s got more in utero, Abel is also pretty insecure about all that might happen in between germination and harvest. With predators, precipitation, and pits all over the place, there’s never a guarantee that more provisions a comin’. Living off the land is NOT a fabulous lifestyle; it’s either feast or famine, and usually the family-surviving-the-winter-defining-variable between the two is how much you can put away when times are good.
Which means in giving the firstborn, Abel gave sacrificially what he would have been planning to live on from the moment he first found out the little one was en route. And if you think about it, that’s really no different than what the widow would’ve been doing from the moment she received those two coins.
Both of them giving all they were going to live on. Neither of them really sure how they’re going to continue living on.
Unless God provided, again.
So with God, it only matters if you think you can’t live without it?
Right. Based on what we know about what the Father accepted and Jesus acknowledged, what God seems to be looking for is:
Looking at what you currently have and saying: You gave this.
Looking at all you can possibly give: You can have this.
Looking at the future: You got this.
In the end, whatever thing you’re giving to GOD is only part of the gift. The other part of the gift, the thing He seems to apparently love: the trust that He’ll take care of everything, even if you give away everything you have.
But again, there’s nothing on record before Genesis 4 where God mandates the first, the only, and the best – nor do any of the Levitical Rules say you have to push in all your copper chips before the Flop.
Which means, giving all that you got isn’t all that God wants.
But, if it’s not the quality that matters – even though God clearly wants the best you got;
And, if it’s not the quantity that counts – even though God clearly wants all you got.
What else is there?
Suddenly, the curiously compounding similarities between Abel’s and the widow’s respective contrasting counterparts comes to mind. Both, Cain and the rich dudes gave out of their plenty.
Or, as God clearly points out – they had each had leftovers:
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
Genesis 4:3 NIV
And,
For [the rich people] all contributed out of their abundance,
Mark 4:12
What did God say?
Cain gave some – a portion – of his harvest.
The rich dudes gave sums - in proportion to - their wealth.
It’s not that they didn’t give a lot. In fact, Mark tells us his guys gave large amounts. Cain, if he was the one still speaking, would probably say in his defense he actually gave a whole bunch (literally). Both, would say it didn’t feel good giving it away – that it actually felt like sacrifice.
So, with God, the more the NOT merrier?
Not really. Using only the information God gives us, by specifically contrasting Cain and the rich dudes with Abel and the widow, what we’re able to distill it down to is:
Cain and the rich guys gave larger, but actually only gave some.
Abel and the widow gave smaller, but actually gave all.
In addition, God intentionally excluding “first,” “best,” and “fat” from the description of Cain’s offering means, he took a look at all he had and gave God what he can live without. And when Jesus says the rich guys gave in view of their wealth, they were doing the same thing.
The problem isn’t how much they didn’t give. The issue God has is the much they had to give wasn’t all available in the first place.
So, the thing God takes issue with when Cain and the rich guys hand over some of what they got: they gave with their heads, not from their heart.
Conversely, for Abel and the widow, the thing God loves isn’t the fact they gave all the little that they had – or in Abel’s case, the only little one he had; it’s that how little they had wasn’t a problem in giving all.
So the thing God loves when Abel and the widow hand over all they have, is: they gave from their heart, and not with their heads.
And anytime we start talking about God wanting the heart of a man we’re talking about more than just affection.
What is it?
Think of the gifts Jesus received while He walked the planet that ultimately received His commendation:
Traveling a great distance exposed to the elements without an address – just a general heading; risking it all, all the way through robbers, marauders, and murderous kings; they declared He was King to another king; caused a ruckus but didn’t care; and didn’t stop seeking until they found Him; gave significantly of their own wealth to honor Him; worshipped Him in faith even though He was still a newborn and hadn’t done anything yet; and, did all of it, even though they hadn’t yet been born again unto Him.
Forsaking public image; falling at his feet; wiping not just her tears but many days’ worth, and layers of, dirt with her hair – one of the more important status symbols a woman had back then; knowing she was interrupting everything and forgetting her place, but kept her eyes on Him anyway; and, pouring out really strong, really expensive perfume on His head and feet, which can never be recouped, so she could be restored unto Him.
Leaving boats, giant sums of money effectively sitting in boats, jobs, families, family approval, social status, future plans – forsaking literally everything important to them – and following Him, everywhere.
Realizing what Jesus had done in the walk to town and forsakes his friends to return in gratitude for the miraculous healing of leprosy - postponing his long awaited, much longed for return to normal life, a little while longer, to worship Him even though, he technically wasn’t of Him.
Each of these gifts to God of varying value; different in form, function, and all of them without any kind of formula; all of them lacking any similarity in how much they gave and what was given over – but like Abel and the widow, they all gave God the same thing:
Their surrender.
And this is where we finally see how Abel’s faith is the widow’s might: They didn’t have to give it all. The point is: they weren’t just willing to, they wanted to – and did.
And God clearly, LOVES it.
So with God, the only thing that matters is if you give like you can’t live without Him.
Exactly.
It’s what Abel has been saying the whole time.
Horseshoes, Handgrenades and Gifts He’ll Love. “The Price is Might”. Behold(en), still. Copyright © 2026 Behold(en), still.
One more thing
Ironically, today is Prime Day! So, as you’re bustin’ the bargains: what does the God Who already has everything actually want? He actually wants to give YOU, everything. And then some! So, what are you waiting for? Click below to get yourself the best deal in all of Eternity on eternal life with God - for free!