Monday of Holy Week – March 29, 2010
John 12:1 – 11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.
As a young man in the ministry, I must have been convinced that I was going to save the world, and that I would do so single-handedly. I worked tirelessly, spending myself and doing for others in both official and unofficial capacities.
I noticed early on, though, that when someone showed me kindness or gave a gift of appreciation to me, I didn’t receive it well. I would say things like, “I don’t really deserve this,” or “It wasn’t really me,” or “If you knew what really went on behind the scenes, you wouldn’t be expressing this appreciation.”
The truth was that I had an unbelievably hard time accepting gifts from others. I always found a way to diminish someone else’s expression of grace toward me.
An older couple who had served churches in vocational ministry for many years finally pulled me aside. It was the wife who first said to me, “Jerry, you need to learn how to receive a gift. Just say, ‘Thank you.’ That’s all you need to do.”
Later her husband would share with me the same counsel.
It wasn’t an easy lesson to learn. My old ways were hard-wired inside me. I still wanted to diminish the affirmations of others toward me. Or I shifted the credit when someone complimented me or gave me a gift. My old ways were hard to unravel.
Many of us find it difficult to receive gifts or affirmations. We make gift-giving about deserving and we don’t feel that we measure up. My mentor and his wife reminded me that when I tried to explain away someone’s gift to me, I diminished the gift. By challenging their gift to me, I implicitly said to them, “You misread the situation. Your judgment must be faulty, because I haven’t done anything to deserve the praise or the gift that you offer to me.”
Remarkably, gifts stand out for us precisely because there is no sense of deserving or merit or worthiness about them. A true gift is given without strings, totally on its own merit.
Today, on this Monday of Holy Week, we continue to move with Jesus toward the cross. On his way to the cross, a woman named “Mary” broke a costly bottle of perfume and anointed Jesus with it. The act was ridiculously extravagant, over-the-top. We would expect a rebuke from Jesus; instead, we get a blessing from him. The woman was not reprimanded; to the contrary, she was lifted up as a model of someone who helped Jesus prepare for death. She gave Jesus a huge gift in these last days of his life. She cared for him tenderly.
The best part is that Jesus received the gift. He took it into himself. He didn’t use false humility to push her or her gift away. He allowed it into himself. It helped prepare him for his death and burial. It prepared this woman to see herself as valued and deeply loved.
Be mindful of the gifts you receive this week. Be aware of your inner resistance to receiving what others offer to you. You receive not because you deserve to receive. This is not a worthiness contest. You are given whatever you have because God is gracious.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.
As a young man in the ministry, I must have been convinced that I was going to save the world, and that I would do so single-handedly. I worked tirelessly, spending myself and doing for others in both official and unofficial capacities.
I noticed early on, though, that when someone showed me kindness or gave a gift of appreciation to me, I didn’t receive it well. I would say things like, “I don’t really deserve this,” or “It wasn’t really me,” or “If you knew what really went on behind the scenes, you wouldn’t be expressing this appreciation.”
The truth was that I had an unbelievably hard time accepting gifts from others. I always found a way to diminish someone else’s expression of grace toward me.
An older couple who had served churches in vocational ministry for many years finally pulled me aside. It was the wife who first said to me, “Jerry, you need to learn how to receive a gift. Just say, ‘Thank you.’ That’s all you need to do.”
Later her husband would share with me the same counsel.
It wasn’t an easy lesson to learn. My old ways were hard-wired inside me. I still wanted to diminish the affirmations of others toward me. Or I shifted the credit when someone complimented me or gave me a gift. My old ways were hard to unravel.
Many of us find it difficult to receive gifts or affirmations. We make gift-giving about deserving and we don’t feel that we measure up. My mentor and his wife reminded me that when I tried to explain away someone’s gift to me, I diminished the gift. By challenging their gift to me, I implicitly said to them, “You misread the situation. Your judgment must be faulty, because I haven’t done anything to deserve the praise or the gift that you offer to me.”
Remarkably, gifts stand out for us precisely because there is no sense of deserving or merit or worthiness about them. A true gift is given without strings, totally on its own merit.
Today, on this Monday of Holy Week, we continue to move with Jesus toward the cross. On his way to the cross, a woman named “Mary” broke a costly bottle of perfume and anointed Jesus with it. The act was ridiculously extravagant, over-the-top. We would expect a rebuke from Jesus; instead, we get a blessing from him. The woman was not reprimanded; to the contrary, she was lifted up as a model of someone who helped Jesus prepare for death. She gave Jesus a huge gift in these last days of his life. She cared for him tenderly.
The best part is that Jesus received the gift. He took it into himself. He didn’t use false humility to push her or her gift away. He allowed it into himself. It helped prepare him for his death and burial. It prepared this woman to see herself as valued and deeply loved.
Be mindful of the gifts you receive this week. Be aware of your inner resistance to receiving what others offer to you. You receive not because you deserve to receive. This is not a worthiness contest. You are given whatever you have because God is gracious.
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