The Gospel of Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
This story has always moved me. I've always imagined that this widow looked like my Grandma Jim, sporting a kind, open, softly wrinkled face, twinkling eyes and ready smile as she dropped the last of her money into the collection box, unconcerned for her own wants or needs. She simply gave all she could, completely unaware that she was being observed by Jesus Christ himself. But after Friday night she is no longer a widow in my mind. She has become an 8-year-old girl named Sadie with long, blond hair, sparkling eyes and a radiance born of a deeply compassionate and sensitive heart, all wrapped in a pretty party dress with silky flowers and a bow.
Here is the story of how I met Sadie and why she gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received. My dear friend Sandy decided to stop by my apartment the day we were cleaning up after the fire. Although she couldn't stay she dropped off snacks for all of the volunteers hauling out pieces of my soot-covered life. Driving off with her granddaughters in the back seat, she explained what had happened and why she was delivering snacks. After a long silence, the eldest, Sadie, told her that she had some girl scout money that she would like to donate to my neighbor and me, to help us recover from the fire. After a long discussion spent explaining the depth of the need and what else she could do with the money, Sandy realized that Sadie's pure and compassionate heart could not be denied. She was DETERMINED to help. She NEEDED to help. She DID help.
Sadie became a girl on a mission. She grew obsessed with helping me, a woman she had never met nor even known existed until that fateful Saturday. She talked about me and the fire frequently. She wanted to meet me. She wanted to meet Zeus. A few days later Sandy called me and told me about her. She explained what had transpired in the car after leaving my apartment. She told me how deeply concerned Sadie was for me. I choked back tears when I learned that she had offered her own hard-earned money. I was deeply moved by her merciful nature and realized the same thing her grandmother did. She could NOT be denied the opportunity to give. I told Sandy that I did not want her to spend much money but that there were lots of little things I needed like wooden spoons and pantry items and she could bring a small gift to my birthday party where she could meet Zeus and me.
A few days later, Sandy picked up Sadie from school. Sadie immediately wanted to know if Sandy had called me so Sandy told her about our conversation. Eventually Sadie went home and that is when Sandy found a note left behind in the back seat:
Here is the story of how I met Sadie and why she gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received. My dear friend Sandy decided to stop by my apartment the day we were cleaning up after the fire. Although she couldn't stay she dropped off snacks for all of the volunteers hauling out pieces of my soot-covered life. Driving off with her granddaughters in the back seat, she explained what had happened and why she was delivering snacks. After a long silence, the eldest, Sadie, told her that she had some girl scout money that she would like to donate to my neighbor and me, to help us recover from the fire. After a long discussion spent explaining the depth of the need and what else she could do with the money, Sandy realized that Sadie's pure and compassionate heart could not be denied. She was DETERMINED to help. She NEEDED to help. She DID help.
Sadie became a girl on a mission. She grew obsessed with helping me, a woman she had never met nor even known existed until that fateful Saturday. She talked about me and the fire frequently. She wanted to meet me. She wanted to meet Zeus. A few days later Sandy called me and told me about her. She explained what had transpired in the car after leaving my apartment. She told me how deeply concerned Sadie was for me. I choked back tears when I learned that she had offered her own hard-earned money. I was deeply moved by her merciful nature and realized the same thing her grandmother did. She could NOT be denied the opportunity to give. I told Sandy that I did not want her to spend much money but that there were lots of little things I needed like wooden spoons and pantry items and she could bring a small gift to my birthday party where she could meet Zeus and me.
A few days later, Sandy picked up Sadie from school. Sadie immediately wanted to know if Sandy had called me so Sandy told her about our conversation. Eventually Sadie went home and that is when Sandy found a note left behind in the back seat:
When Sandy emailed me the photo of that note I sobbed uncontrollably. Where did this little girl come from? I still had not met her and already she had pierced my heart with her innocent, sweet spirit. Here was an 8-year-old child offering all she had and refusing to be denied, and just like the widow I'm sure she was completely unaware that she was being observed by Jesus Christ himself, or that she was mimicking his humility and ultimate sacrifice in the only way she could. The purity of it was and still is one of the most beautiful things in the world to me now.
Friday night I was privileged to finally meet sweet Sadie at a birthday party in my honor. She hugged me and listened to the story of my escape from the fire, repeating how bad she felt for me as I talked. She petted Zeus and praised him for being such a good dog. We talked about how much she loved performing and reading American Girls books. She played with another friend's 8-year-old daughter and generally floated around the party like a beautiful butterfly, delighting everyone who met her and heard her story.
Before she left, she wanted to watch me open the gifts she brought. She gave joyfully, genuinely delighted to offer me something I needed. There was as much joy on her face as there was on mine when I opened the gift and saw a brand new set of wooden spoons. She also gave Zeus a funny thank you card involving a chicken, I'm assuming because he saved my life, and a gift of chicken jerky. It was all I could do not to break down into an "ugly" cry. How could I not fall madly in love with this child?
In this Holy Week, a season of sacrifice and redemption, I see clearly that Sadie loves like Jesus loves; beautifully, sacrificially, mercifully and purely. I did nothing to earn her favor, and quite frankly I don't deserve it, but I'm certain that I will never be the same because of it. She was DETERMINED to help. She NEEDED to help. She DID help. Just. Like. Jesus.
