And while He was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over His head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her. – MARK 14:3-11

This Passage was our Church’s Holy Week Devotional for Wednesday.

It took me back to messages I posted in February about keeping a Sabbath Life.

The Old ‘Martha Vs Mary’ Syndrome

A number of years back, our church , in regular support of one of our inner-city ministry partners, went out to their surrounding neighborhood to do yard work. As part of this outreach a group formed the “Prayer Team”. We went around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, introducing the neighbors to the local ministry and asking if there was anything we could pray for them about. I was surprised by how many welcomed the prayer – for serious issues including illness, finances, addiction, family dysfunction, etc. We prayed with several who embraced the Gospel and committed to follow Christ.

However, there was an interesting dynamic within the overall serving team. There were a few of those doing yard work who poked fun at the ‘Prayers’ indicating, “Why don’t you guys pick up a rake and do some real work?” Some of it was being playful but not all.

The truth was/is that I am an introvert and hate knocking on doors and talking to strangers. It could have been much easier for me to pick up a rake and start serving in that way. Am I saying that one way of serving/engaging with God was more valuable than the other – raking vs praying? No. It is a matter of how we are being led to engage with God through service and whatever that is, it is being done unto the Lord.

While serving and giving to the poor is sacrificially hard and challenging, dare I say for some, it can be the easier road to take. ‘Doing’ rather than ‘Being’ can come easier and more culturally acceptable to some people. Often the ‘Do-ers’ look down with disdain at the ‘Be-ers’ as slothful slugs. Our culture applauds the ‘Do-ers’.

It’s fascinating to me the way this passage is translated in the ESV. Jesus is indicating that serving the poor (while scripture clearly identifies it as a high priority) is almost dismissive as something that is always around that can be done anytime. Certainly, there is no lack of opportunity. But sometimes we think of it as the highest priority. The truth is that in the world we now live in, we can never do enough to eradicate all that leaves so many in a poor condition. It and they will always be with us.

Jesus is teaching that this time of intimate caring and relational tenderness with God should be a priority. Yet, even as the woman lavishly interacted with Jesus, what was she doing? She was serving. Even in the serving we look to that as the opportunity for intimate relationship with our God. Jesus declares in Matthew 25:40, “. . . inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Still, in my humble opinion, that is not the best of intimacy with God. Serving those who the King loves is not quite the same as sitting down and being in the King’s presence, lavishing our praise upon Him and enjoying all He has to lavish upon us. Allowing God to restore and replenish us. Is that selfish of us? No, actually we are in relationship with a jealous God who desires our full attention.

Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. . . James 4:4-6

Those in ministry can experience the burden of the endless onslaught of the needy. They can easily get caught up in exhaustion from striving to meet every need. Jesus says, “Do a beautiful thing with me!” He then will guide, direct and empower us to do a beautiful thing with the ‘Poor’ around us.

In these current days of ‘Coronavirus stay-at-home social distancing’, during our highest, Holy Week, what better time for many of us to take the time for intimate, one-on-one engagement with our engaging God?

And, if the voices are saying to us, that we aren’t ‘doing’ enough when we choose to ‘be’ in dedicated time with God, let Jesus stand up to defend us basically saying, “Back off!” . . .

“Leave them alone. Why do you trouble them? They are doing a beautiful thing to me!”