So, What Exactly is Your Point?

S - Mark 14:1-9 (NLT): "It was now two days before the Passover celebration and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and put him to death. "But not during the Passover," they agreed, "or there will be a riot." Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume. She broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why was this expensive perfume wasted?" they asked. "She could have sold it for a small fortune and given the money to the poor!" And they scolded her harshly. But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you much longer. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory.""

O - The leaders were efficient … avoiding a riot and murdering the Christ all accomplished in a matter hours. This woman comes inspired to do a beautiful thing to the Lord and the disciples moan about its inefficiency and waste. Jesus rejoices in its beauty and relational expression. To the "efficient" her actions are pointless … now giving to the poor would be something; quantifiable and a very good point. To the Creator and Ruler of all her actions are so much the point that she will never be forgotten ("wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory."). Jesus identifies something in her which is like the beauty/good she expressed to him "She has done what she could." Not only was her giving a beautiful act of devotion it is one which is not wasted either … she alone had the privilege of fulfilling the critical cultural expression in the first century of a body prepared for burial. The Mary's will come the day after his crucifixion and burial, but their spices will never be needed or used. The Kingdom and the Christ are not primarily efficient but they waste nothing. Love has never been the most efficient but it is forever the greatest!

A - Doing what you can in face of criticism by leaders, over whelming need and/or oppressive public opinion will always be among the opportunities given to the followers of Jesus. The world (church and secular) will forever peg to the very human efficiency quotients, statistical data and formulaic logic. While these are not completely absent in the work of God and the reality of his kingdom they NEVER lead the way - EVER! They lead the way in the thinking and actions of the Sanhedrin, in Herod's palace and at Pilate's court but not with God, his kingdom and his Christ. My assignment is to work with him which requires faith, trust, reliance upon the God to whom nothing is impossible. This work, his work, will always invite me to do what I can, to give my pathetic little into his unending greatness in the face of earth's most crushing inevitabilities. The combination of faith and so very little becomes more than formidable - it becomes indefatigable in the highest order - the order and power of the resurrection from the dead. My measure will not be efficiency but relationships, it will not take its cue from the greatness of the need but from the greatness of the God who calls me near to live with him, work with him and in this context to do what I can.

P - Lord of Beauty, Power, Mercy, Grace and even of me,
Thank you for my assignment which is not for you but with you. Thank you for not gauging everything by efficiency … for love is not primarily efficient and you have loved us first and most and still (to this very day, hour, minute and second) REFUSED to change your mind. O King, O Friend, O Living Hope and Only Hope I love you back and say I want to bring my very little all and give it all to you … to do what I can as you assign my place and partnership with you. Thank you for not asking me to do everything I could possibly do at all times. Rather, you call me to yourself, to relationship and to work with you giving my all to that which you are doing. Thank you for not calling me to work for you but with you. Lord, my answer is yes. I believe and this is the real work. I give you my all, this is the real privilege. Thank you causing me and my very little all to matter here and hereafter.
All my love,

Steve