Skip to main content

A Good Phrase for a Good Year

                Just days away from his crucifixion, Jesus was sharing a meal with some friends in a little village outside of Jerusalem.  While he was eating, a woman came in, broke open a very expensive jar of perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head.  Immediately, those gathered began complaining about this woman’s actions and how this perfume could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money could have been given to the poor (Mark 14:5).
                As they continued to grumble, Jesus turned to them and said, “Why are you bothering her?  She has done a beautiful thing to me…. She did what she could!” (verses 6-8).
                I love the line, “She did what she could”. 
This woman did not fix every problem.  She did not stop the hate that the religious leaders felt toward Jesus.  She did not take away the pain that Mary had to endure as she watched her son being crucified.  She did not take away the disciple’s fear.  She did not convert the entire village to belief in Christ.  She did, however, do something kind, and Jesus praised her for it.  She did what she could.
                I wonder what would happen if I approached the new year with that same attitude.  Instead of looking for excuses and reasons to remain uninvolved in what is happening around me, what if I did what I could to support and encourage others?   What if I forgot about me and put you first?  What if I took some action, however big or small it may be, and trusted that God could use it?
                I do not know exactly what would happen, but I do know this:  2019 would be a good year, because I would be invested in making things better. 
                Unlike other New Year’s resolutions, this one is not about being better, working harder or doing more.  It is simply about changing our attitudes and seeing what we can give rather than what we can get.   
Forget about doing something big and splashy.  Forget about whether you will be noticed or not.  Forget about the cost.  Just do the good that you can do.  Something good will come of it and God will be praised.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

   When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for.  Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task.  In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut.  It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why.  Ben became stuck on the glacier.  He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below.   That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice.  He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety.  Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: The Biggest Problem Is Not Out There!

In a time when everyone has a vocal opinion on everything and judgment is everywhere, maybe we need to reconsider the words of Jesus. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).  Here are two observations to consider. First, when we look for what others are doing wrong, we are starting in the wrong place.  “Take the log out of your eye” is the first move.  Start with yourself!  It is easy to judge others and make excuses for ourselves.  Yet, that is completely backwards! If we are honest, we never get past making ourselves better.  There is always more to do.  This, then, leaves very little time to point out...
Post a Comment
Read more