Many Sunday school lessons have been made around the parable of the widow’s mite. But we sometimes forget the story’s value to our community, too.

The story, told twice in the New Testament, is a simple one, a lesson of a widow who gave all that she had to the church.

The premise is that her gift, while smaller in amount of those given by richer people, was more powerful because it was all she had.

That same lesson applies today, just as it did when the Gospels were written.

Yet today, we’re often quick to recognize the “big” givers to local charities and we’re quick to overlook the little widows among us.

Corporate donations to local charities such as the United Way of the Miss-Lou are greatly appreciated — and needed. But a sign of a truly successful, charitable community is one in which a number of average Joes and Janes regularly donate to local charities.

This time of year perhaps is no better time to encourage everyone to recognize the good works that charities such as the United Way, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and the Natchez Children’s Christmas Tree Fund do for our community.

And, more important, remember the lesson of the widow’s mite as you consider how much to give.