Previously, we considered several important widows of the Old Testament. As we turn the pages to the New Testament, several Godly widows are mentioned there also. Widows can take heart that God notices them, cares for them, and counts them among His choicest servants. Let’s look at two New Testament widows who loved God wholeheartedly and devoted their lives and resources to His service.

Anna and Her Service

The first widow in the pages of the New Testament is Anna. Along with the aged Simeon, she had the privilege of welcoming the infant Jesus when He was brought by Mary and Joseph to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Luke 2:36, “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity.” Apparently Anna’s husband died after they were married for only seven years. She spent the remainder of her life in service to God in the Temple in Jerusalem.

“And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:37). One way to read this verse is that Anna was eighty-four years old at the time she would see the infant Jesus. But the wording in the original language gives the latitude to also read “eighty-four” as the sum of her years of widowhood.

If she was only fifteen years old when she married, and then she lived seven years as a wife, that would put her at the age of 106! If she married later, she would have been even older! There were many tasks in the Temple, menial tasks such as cleaning draperies, washing pots and pans, and cleaning the blood and offal of the sacrifice. Since only the priests could enter the court of the Lord, she would have performed her service in the outer courts.

On that anticipated day, Anna was privileged to behold the Messiah of Israel. “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

The Widow and Her Offering

During the last week of Christ’s ministry in Jerusalem, Jesus met another widow on the grounds of the Temple. The parallels to Anna are remarkable. This widow was at the Temple too, and she was commended by Christ. Similar to the way that Anna gave her time and service to the Lord, this widow gave her money to the Lord.

Christ had just given His long denunciation of the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, calling them “hypocrites.” Part of His condemnation was that the Jewish leaders “devour widows’ houses” (Luke 20:47). Their religion was a proud, selfish display of outward forms and ceremonies with no humility of heart and no real love for the Lord they claimed to worship.

Immediately after the diatribe against the hypocrites, Christ paused to point out to His disciples a genuine believer. “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had” (Luke 21:1–4).

We do not know this woman’s name, but she is the shining example Christ has given us regarding how we are to give. She did not have much to give, but she gave it all! This widow could have excused herself by rationalizing that part of these offerings were given to support widows such as herself. Yet, she gave freely, fully, humbly, and sacrificially. Christ desires that we all might follow her wholehearted example.

In the example of both of these ladies, we see a summary of what a Christian widow can accomplish for the Lord. One lady gave her time. The other woman gave her resources. Both were used for God’s glory and continue to encourage us today with their lasting testimonies.