Ravi Zacharias once wrote, "The older we get, the harder it is to fill our hearts with wonder"
For a kid, even a drop of a water bottle or a plastic cup for a toy could bring him/her such joy. But for us who are already adults in a very sense of the word, it would take more than just a drop of water bottle for us to have simple joys in life, and perhaps it is our human nature. We have this insatiable need in satisfying ourselves with greater possessions for us to be happy. And the world capitalizes on this human nature. The world capitalizes on our need to be satisfied with things. So how does the world program us? The world tells us, "You want more, we'll help you get more!" As we delve in this worldly pursuit, the higher standard bars we're putting in ourselves for us to be satisfied and for us to be fulfilled and to be happy. Little did we know, those needs, those wants-- they are all temporal.
In James 5:1-6 it says, "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you."
In this passage, James was not actually against rich people; he was only against the way some rich people were living their lives. What James resented was their lifestyle and how they treated the poor people. They were hoarding wealth, but they did not know that their wealth has been rotted, and even their clothes have been eaten by moths. What James was trying to imply is that, the rich people were so focused on temporary pursuits. They focused on their wealth, that they became so selfish. They wanted more, so they got more, even at the expense of the poor people. But their wealth did not give them satisfaction nor joy. Acquisition of material possessions will not make us happy. So what then, will bring us happiness? The answer is... GIVING.
In the story of Mary pouring perfume on Jesus' feet found in John 12:1-3 it says, "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."
In these verses, Mary GAVE COMPLETELY. She did not hesitate to pour that expensive nard on Jesus. She did not have any reservation. How about us? How do we give? Do we give willingly and selflessly? Do we give our utmost to the Lord and to others? Or are we just giving away our excesses?
After Mary had poured the nard on Jesus, Judas Iscariot reacted and objected on what Mary has done. John 12:4-6 it says, "4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 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."
Imagine the worth of that nard! One year's wages! If someone earns 15,000 a month, multiply it to 12 months, that will cost about 144,000! That costs a lot! But note, Mary did not hesitate to give what she thought what's due for Christ, her Lord. She gave completely---no hesitations, no reservations. She gave it all. I remember Khalil Gibran once said, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
In this passage, James was not actually against rich people; he was only against the way some rich people were living their lives. What James resented was their lifestyle and how they treated the poor people. They were hoarding wealth, but they did not know that their wealth has been rotted, and even their clothes have been eaten by moths. What James was trying to imply is that, the rich people were so focused on temporary pursuits. They focused on their wealth, that they became so selfish. They wanted more, so they got more, even at the expense of the poor people. But their wealth did not give them satisfaction nor joy. Acquisition of material possessions will not make us happy. So what then, will bring us happiness? The answer is... GIVING.
In the story of Mary pouring perfume on Jesus' feet found in John 12:1-3 it says, "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."
In these verses, Mary GAVE COMPLETELY. She did not hesitate to pour that expensive nard on Jesus. She did not have any reservation. How about us? How do we give? Do we give willingly and selflessly? Do we give our utmost to the Lord and to others? Or are we just giving away our excesses?
After Mary had poured the nard on Jesus, Judas Iscariot reacted and objected on what Mary has done. John 12:4-6 it says, "4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 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."
Imagine the worth of that nard! One year's wages! If someone earns 15,000 a month, multiply it to 12 months, that will cost about 144,000! That costs a lot! But note, Mary did not hesitate to give what she thought what's due for Christ, her Lord. She gave completely---no hesitations, no reservations. She gave it all. I remember Khalil Gibran once said, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
Another characteristic of the way Mary gave was that, she GAVE SACRIFICIALLY. At that time when patriarchal (characteristic of an entity, family, church, etc., controlled by men)was prevalent, it was hard for a woman to work and to earn money. They were given very slim chances to earn money. I bet a year's wage for her was a huge deal, but that did not stop her from giving something for and to the Lord. She was willing to sacrifice a year's worth of her earnings to honor the Lord. Giving until it hurts is the essence of GIVING SACRIFICIALLY. How about you, what have you sacrificed to give to the Lord and to others? Have you given sacrificially? At times, it is when we sacrifice something (we deemed really important to us )
for the sake of others gives us an incomprehensible kind of fulfillment.
Third characteristic with the way Mary gave was, she GAVE UNCONDITIONALLY. What's amusing with Mary's way of adoring God was found in verse 3 that says, "she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." At that time, the filthiest part of one's body was their feet, because they had to walk along sandy roads with only sandals as their footwear. And for women, the most important or they considered most beautiful part of their body was their hair (even up to these days). Guess what, Mary gave off the most beautiful part of her to wipe Jesus' feet.
For her, her best is nothing compare with the least about Jesus. She gave without any condition. She did not ask for anything in return. She did not count nor calculate the worth of her perfume nor her hair to Jesus. She just gave them away. Generosity is genuine if we give unconditionally. God Himself modeled to us this kind of giving. He unconditionally gave His only Son for us to be in union with Him once again. Jesus loves us unconditionally that He gave Himself selflessly when while we're still sinners, He died for us.
Let us all remember that a faith that lives also requires a heart that is willing to give---COMPLETELY, SACRIFICIALLY, and UNCONDITIONALLY.
No comments:
Post a Comment