Six
days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him.
Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed
Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled
with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his
disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was
this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given
to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor,
but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to
steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She
bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You
always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
John
12: 1-8
GIVE ME A MERRY HEART
What
would you do if Jesus were coming to dinner? Dinner for Eight,
perhaps. Clean and polish the house ‘til it sparkled? Set out
refreshments? Make a good impression? Or would you go out and buy the
best ointment you could find to wash his feet?
One
works all day to prepare. The other one sits at the feet of the Lord
to her sister’s annoyance. Who was right? Mary? Martha? Did Jesus
scold Mary for not helping? No! He praised her. “Leave her alone.”
he said. Let her alone to do her work. It’s not how well you
prepare or how the house shines that matters but a good heart, a
willingness to serve and learn.
Was
either wrong? No. Jesus chooses everyone. He reaches out to all, even
to the women. And they follow. Including Mary. She was ahead of her
time.
Lord,
give me a Mary heart that is willing to learn and serve others and
not to worry about what others think. Give me a Merry Heart full of
joy with each new day. Amen
Maggie Garza
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