Workers, worship and would be followers

 

Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. "For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

(John 12:1-11)

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

(Matthew 26:6-13)

Workers, worship and would be followers

Which one am I today as Jesus visits me? Do I find my heart set toward service? I am sure Jesus did not mind Martha providing a good meal and being cared for during this day of His life. Am I one who takes what is mine and of great cost, life Mary, and poor it out upon the one I love? Do I even love in a costly way or do I mostly expect my love to gain more for me? Is there any real sacrifice or pain in my love or is my worship truly about self-approval and reward.

Then there is the friend who is not only a betrayer, but one who takes the things of God and uses them for self. In this time in history the common purse was meant for all, but it was being also used to fulfill the desires of one person. What is it when what is meant for the common good is consumed by a false brother? Yet in the people of God, even this kind of evil, is given fellowship, hope and recognized by the Master that evil itself will be used in the plan of redemption. Why did God choose a road of redemption that involved so much drama and suffering? Why is redemption so costly?

Most every day I live according to what is happening in my life and don’t see what is happening in the life of Jesus. If Jesus shows up at my house, he is more than welcome. But in His coming, I still tend to be mostly focused on what I am doing and what I want to do. I fall into the trap of living from the daily grind of life and do not allow Jesus to stop my agenda. I know Jesus is important. Yet most of the time I feel like my life, what is happening to me, what I feel I should do or accomplish is the driving factor of my life. If and when Jesus comes, I just apply his appearing into my agenda. I may worship a bit, but then try to do what I can to get Jesus to help me fulfill my plan. I have a hard time stopping my life to wait on the Master. My most common assumption is that Jesus stopped by to help me do what I feel I should be doing. I don’t consider very often that he has a plan himself. I wonder how many times I have totally missed the will of God by living out the will of self. Assumption and presumption have cost me a lot. They have cost me the opportunity that I have now to love God in a sacrificial way. While I live on the earth, I have an opportunity to give my will over to his in deep love. Right now I can deny myself and serve and love him. I can touch his heart with the fragrance of self-emptying love; but will I?

I have a self-righteous mindset. I have the ongoing feelings and thoughts that what I see in scripture and what I feel the Lord is saying to me, is right. I do not live a humble life where my faith is big enough to allow others to challenge what I truly think. I tend to rationalize that those who do not see things the way I do simply just don’t understand what I am saying or just don’t have the knowledge that I do. What I am saying is that I have more faith in being right than I have in being led by a supernatural spirit that is fully God. I trust more in what I know than in the Lord who is my Shepherd.

Am I more of a Judas than a Mary or Martha? Do I take the resources that are for the common good and use them for myself? Do I use my Christian world view to take focus away from Jesus and apply it to what my agenda and character desire? Am I close to God because of his grace applied even to those who betray him through self-serving purposes? Help me Lord!