“Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic
oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The
fragrance of the oils filled the house. Judas Iscariot, one of
his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this
oil sold and the money given to the poor?” (John 12:3-6 MSG)
Mary anointed and massaged the feet of Jesus. Judas
thought this was a waste.
There are certain people and tasks that I want to take care of; and then there
are other obligatory duties I know I should
be doing…but really have no heart for.
I feel sheepish about serving those I feel drawn to and chide myself over the
responsibilities and burdens that I neglect. This leaves me feeling
storm-tossed and conflicted. Yet, I also sense that this desire to care for
this particular handful of individuals—this focused passion—is a gift that not
everyone receives.
Have you ever done menial tasks for someone you love
and the world thought you were wasting your potential? Do you feel drawn to a
lowly, servile position—something as unimportant as massaging the feet of
Jesus?
Rubbing someone’s feet is a very intimate task. Not
everyone feels a longing for this level of intimacy. If you happen to be one of
those few who have been blessed with this gift, do not take it for granted.
Sure, the world will see it as a waste of your
talents and opportunities. Humans are impressed by grand projects that have a
huge impact, bringing accolades and profit.
“When push came to shove they cared more for human
approval than for God’s glory.” (John 12:43 MSG)
This is really the crux of the problem. Most of us
care more about human approval than about honoring God. No matter how much we
fight it, we keep making choices based on human standards. We cave in to
seeking self-fulfillment rather than God’s glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment