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In 1994, Julie Wegner Bippes, an award-winning art student at Spring Arbor University, was commissioned by FM Financial to produce a sculpture of “The Widow’s Mite” based on Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4. Claribel Thompson, mother of founding president, Dr. Stanley Thompson, served as the model. The sculpture currently sits in our main hallway.
Traditional interpretations of “The Widow’s Mite” focus on the first part of the statement Jesus made regarding the widow and her gift. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” It is not the amount of the gift that is most important, it is the posture of the heart.
Some recent interpretations have explored the widow’s vulnerable place in society. In the second part of his statement, Jesus said, “They gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” Because this passage is found in scripture among other statements condemning the religious authorities, some believe Jesus was making a point about their oppression of the widow, manipulating her to give all she had, simply to build their own kingdom.
At FM Financial, this sculpture serves as a daily reminder that the amount of the gift, or size of the account, is never the primary focus. Behind every dollar is a person who matters greatly to God, and therefore must matter to us. As an organization and as individuals, we are to steward whatever gifts and talents we have been given to serve all, with special consideration to the most vulnerable in society. It is only in doing so that we can exemplify a life of Stewardship Well Done.
