Thursday, March 10, 2011
Reading: John 12:1-11
Reflection: Sorry I have not been regular this week. I've kind of been under the weather and been trying to keep my head above water. Anyway, as I read this passage of scripture, one of the things that stood out to me are the variety of people around Jesus as He enters His last days. First of all, there is Mary whose primary desire is to adore and worship. It's interesting to note that she is the only woman in the story, and really the only one rightly motivated. She desires to give the best she has to glorify Jesus with little regard to what others may think or the long term cost to herself.
Second, there is Judas. He is the exact opposite of Mary in many respects. He does not desire to give a thing to bring glory to Jesus. In fact, it appears as though Judas simply wants to use Jesus as a meal ticket through life. He steals from the ministry's treasury and is upset that Mary didn't just give the perfume to Jesus so that he could have sold it and gained access to the proceeds. So, while Judas is physically near Jesus he is spiritually a long way away from Him.
Third and fourth there are the multitudes and the chief priests. The crowds are curious about Jesus, and the fact that this guy named Lazarus has been raised from the dead. They don't come to worship, they come out of curiousity to see if these fantastic claims are true. Finally, the chief priests are simply interested in destroying Jesus' ministry. For that reason, they are looking to kill Lazarus because so many Jews are starting to believe in Jesus because of him...and one would presume his testimony.
It seems today there are still many different people in the presence of Jesus, and many competing motivations for showing up. Some are seeking for ways to destroy the church through rumors and false allegations. Some are curious and desire a good show. Some think the church is a great place for building connections and a client base. And some, like Mary, are simply there to give their best worship for God's glory. It is my hope that this last motivation is the one that inspires you to show up in life and lift your praise to God.
One correction, Mary wasn't the only woman in this story. Verse 2 says "Martha served..." While I tend to be more like Mary and want to be in the presence of Jesus, serving in the background is important and necessary, too. Behind-the-scene people allow others the opportunity to worship.
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