“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
DEUTERONOMY 17-19
16The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
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.(17:16-20)
MARK 14:1-25
1Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2“But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
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 wagesa 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.”
JOURNAL
So Kings were not to think of themselves above their subjects. "...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..." Specifically this language in the old testament lays out the heart that God wants us to have in roles of leadership. Leadership is not a gift to indulge but rather a position to serve.
This story has always moved me. I think it's because it shows how Jesus looks to the heart and overlooks the practical in favor of it. Jesus doesn't see the waste, he sees the devotion, he doesn't see buildings and titles he sees spiritual eternity. I think that it is easy to really get caught up in religiosity. I think it's easy to get into a certain mindset that's all about looking the part rather than actually living it. But when I really read the Bible and dissect the characters and the heart of Jesus, I see that following him is not a conservative mindset.
It is actually filled with people going against the grain, doing the unconventional and rocking the boat. I think this is exactly why Jesus commends the prostitute for her action. It is a passionate display of devotion from her heart. This is the mindset of the kingdom...bold, unconventional, passionate and all heart.
It is actually filled with people going against the grain, doing the unconventional and rocking the boat. I think this is exactly why Jesus commends the prostitute for her action. It is a passionate display of devotion from her heart. This is the mindset of the kingdom...bold, unconventional, passionate and all heart.
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