Thursday, 3/12/2015

“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” 
~ Augustine of Hippo

DEUTERONOMY 17-19

God gives instruction for the future King of Israel...in addition to not taking many wives, he also is not to accumulate an abundance of wealth for himself.

18When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

MARK 14:1-25

Jesus is at the home of Simon the Leper, a woman brings in an expensive jar of perfume and anoints Jesus with it...

4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^a and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

6“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7The poor you will always have with you,^b and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. 

JOURNAL

Again with Jesus it is all about the intent, motive and the heart.  It never really is about the money.  I think this is why God warns the Israelites in setting out the guidelines for future kings.  Possessions acquired for the purpose of identity and or out of fear or greed are toxic to the soul.  Jesus has just previously taught them to care for the poor and so I understand their horror in seeing a woman "waste" a year's wages. 

However in regard to her heart, this was not waste, this was love and devotion to God.  Again, never about the money and all about the heart.  Interesting though that this is precisely when Judas decides to go to the Priests and offer to betray Jesus.

In our culture it is easy to get caught up in either the race for excess or in the culture of responsibility.  Either path puts us consumed with making our lives fit a certain pattern, look a certain way.  Reality is that neither path leads to our heart being given solely to God. This will look different for every person, for only God knows what is truly behind our actions and motives...yes the perfume was a "waste" in worldly terms, it was also a waste when it comes to the moral police...yet Jesus declares that it will be given as an example wherever the Gospel is preached. 

Again it is never about the money...it's all about the heart.

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)