“The Poor Widow” for the book Dear Divine Daughter

“Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

I have some complicated feelings around this story..

Let me explain this way: I have some friends who had to stop paying tithing because their parents were going through a rough divorce. The mom needed financial help as she went back to school and retrained so she could support the kids still left at home. My friends were giving all they financially could to people who really needed it to get back on thier feet. I would say that was very charitable, and they were doing a really good thing! But a few months later, because they were still supporting the mom and therefore not paying tithes, they were no longer eligible for a temple recommend.

Matt 25:40 says “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” So what should they have done? Given tithes to the church in addition and not been able to eat or pay rent? That doesn’t make sense to me.

So while I admire the poor widows generosity and charity, I worry about members of the church thinking that tithing is the best and only way to be charitable.

It’s especially troubling to me knowing how much money the church has amassed and takes in each year vs what it uses for charitable or humanitarian purposes. They are just a drop in the bucket of the massive wealth the church has accumulated. To me, it makes the church look like one of the rich who gives in their abundance, instead of the poor in heart giving all they have.

8” x 10” Giclee Print - Matte finish