What Really Moved Jesus?
At a meal one day, in Simon's house, with a group of super critical religious leaders, Jesus sat alone and misunderstood. Every word he said was challenged and twisted by those who were trying to dis-credit him.
To the amazement of all at the table, a woman of the street came in, and taking an alabaster jar of costly ointment, she poured it out upon Jesus' head.
We do not know what Jesus had done for her...but she needed to do something for him. It was as though she saw the storm clouds gathering. It was like the shadow of the cross upon him.
Why did she do it? Was it an impulse? Did she want to do something to show that she cared? Some have said she may have been in love with Jesus. She didn't pour out just a few drops of this valuable ointment...and say, "I guess that should be enough for the occasion." No, it all went.
Her unblocked impulse moved Jesus. It was not smothered with caution. She was lifted clear out of arithmetic into love...where one no longer counts the cost.
The record says that Jesus was moved, deeply stirred by this extravagant action. We remember a few other times: a Centurion asking for his son's recovery. Jesus was impressed by his faith. Or the widow who put her whole living into the treasury box...the widow's mite. Jesus spoke in glowing terms about her gift.
And now this. There was a kind of excitement in Jesus as he spoke about it. The only measurements some people have for values are those of the market place. This oil...what a waste!..."it could have been given to the poor," they said. But they really didn't care so much about the poor...it just sounded good.
To some people, worship is waste. What good is it? Beauty is unnecessary. You can't eat it! It butters no bread...It builds no barns...It yields no compound interest. To these persons, a life of sacrifice is always a waste. The life of David Livingstone...what a waste! Or Dr. Schweitzer..."think of what he could have done with those 4 Doctor's Degrees, instead of going as a missionary. What a waste!"
Perhaps we have a clue here as to why Christ had to die..because there are so many in our world, who care more for things than for people.
To the amazement of all at the table, a woman of the street came in, and taking an alabaster jar of costly ointment, she poured it out upon Jesus' head.
We do not know what Jesus had done for her...but she needed to do something for him. It was as though she saw the storm clouds gathering. It was like the shadow of the cross upon him.
Why did she do it? Was it an impulse? Did she want to do something to show that she cared? Some have said she may have been in love with Jesus. She didn't pour out just a few drops of this valuable ointment...and say, "I guess that should be enough for the occasion." No, it all went.
Her unblocked impulse moved Jesus. It was not smothered with caution. She was lifted clear out of arithmetic into love...where one no longer counts the cost.
The record says that Jesus was moved, deeply stirred by this extravagant action. We remember a few other times: a Centurion asking for his son's recovery. Jesus was impressed by his faith. Or the widow who put her whole living into the treasury box...the widow's mite. Jesus spoke in glowing terms about her gift.
And now this. There was a kind of excitement in Jesus as he spoke about it. The only measurements some people have for values are those of the market place. This oil...what a waste!..."it could have been given to the poor," they said. But they really didn't care so much about the poor...it just sounded good.
To some people, worship is waste. What good is it? Beauty is unnecessary. You can't eat it! It butters no bread...It builds no barns...It yields no compound interest. To these persons, a life of sacrifice is always a waste. The life of David Livingstone...what a waste! Or Dr. Schweitzer..."think of what he could have done with those 4 Doctor's Degrees, instead of going as a missionary. What a waste!"
Perhaps we have a clue here as to why Christ had to die..because there are so many in our world, who care more for things than for people.
posted by Francis Geo. Guither at 6:16 AM
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