I'm a frugal person. OK, let's not mince words. I'm cheap.
John Chapter 12 begins with Jesus back in the home of my favorite dynamic duo, Mary and Martha. Jesus is preparing for the Passover with his friends, including Lazarus, who, by the way, Jesus just raised from the dead in John Chapter 11.
While Martha is busy getting everyone served at the gathering (The Bible tells us simply "Martha served"), Mary kneels (ever the contented one!) and pours a bottle of expensive perfume on Jesus' feet.
What? Perfume on FEET? Expensive?
Hmmm. I think I (a typical Martha) would have over analyzed this thing. Why waste a good product ? Do you really want to use ALL of it?
What would the guests think? How embarrassing! Besides, perfume on feet is NOT practical!
Mary gives no thought to practicality. Her heart is all in. She not only empties the jar, she then wipes Jesus's feet with her hair.
Did I mention everyone walked dirty roads with sandals back then? Yech!
I would have over-thought this. But Mary....
Mary, her heart full of love, does the right thing. She pours herself out.
Why can't I?
Jesus tells the gathering Mary is giving him perfume to annoint His body for death (Is Jesus predicting something here?) BUT, why wait til death?
The Bible says the room was filled with the fragrance of the perfume....NICE!
Judas protests. He says the perfume could be sold for the poor. Truth be told, old Judas wants that money within his reach....You folks remember who Judas is, right???
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it
-- John 12:4-6
I'm ashamed to say, I can be like Judas sometimes. I wait. I analyze, I hesitate to spontaneously serve my Savior. In some ways, I betray Jesus.
Jesus tells me to stop waiting.
Just like we shouldn't wait til the funeral to send the flowers, we shouldn't wait to do what God wants us to do. Right now. No excuses.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.” - John 12:7-8
There is more to John 12, but I want to stop here and savor.
I think I need to ask myself a few questions. How about you?:
___What am I holding back?
___Is there something I need to "pour out" at Jesus' feet?
___Do I need to do something,say something,forgive something or ask for forgiveness RIGHT NOW?
___Am I waiting until the funeral to speak what I need to say to a person RIGHT NOW?
I love you, Jesus. Help me be less cheap.
Help me pour out my love on you and others...without hesitation.
More on John 12 to come... Read Chapter 12 and pause to think about it.
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