Read Mark 14:3-9
You Did A Beautiful Thing!
While Jesus is in Bethany reclining at a table at the house of Simon the leper, a woman comes in with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on the head of Jesus. Many rebuked her harshly saying it could have been sold for more than a Year’s wages and the money given to the poor.
But Jesus rebuked them harshly saying, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me…. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” In fact, Jesus went on to say that what she has done was so impressive that, “Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Jesus was so impressed with what she did that it was going to be told around the world.
I wonder what beautiful things we have done for Jesus, that cause people to think what we’re doing is wrong or crazy or stupid! People who don’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the son of God, look at what we do and even rebuke us harshly because it doesn’t make sense to them.
I have been at Columbus, Ohio this week for General Council. 3,000 people from around the world who are part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination have gathered together to focus on what God has been doing, is doing, and the vision for the future. Last night we had a parade of hundreds of missionaries carrying the flags of countries they are serving in. They honored and commissioned the new missionaries who are going to new places.
K and M are a married couple and will be leaving soon. They recognize who Jesus is and have done a beautiful thing by leaving their mothers and fathers, and their brothers and sisters, in order to be obedient to the call God has on their lives.
To some, that doesn’t make sense. I looked at their parents and was both happy and sad for this occasion. Their parents are very supportive of their decision but they could have rebuked them harshly and told them that we need missionaries in our backyard. They could have made them feel guilty for following the call of God in hopes of getting them to stay close by. But they didn’t.
What beautiful thing have you done that captured the Heart of Jesus and will have a lasting effect. In fact, it makes no sense to those who don’t really know who Jesus really is?
This is my prayer and I hope you make it your prayer:
Lord, I’m willing to go wherever you want me to go, to do whatever you want me to do, and be whatever you want me to be. Use me! Change me! Send me!
