No-Names Then & Now
I am a no-name.This story touches me deeply.
Here is a no-name woman entering the house of Simon the leper. Simon never lost his title of being a leper even though he gained his freedom. Little Miss No-Name takes it upon herself to anoint Jesus with the most beautiful perfume. A good deed. Mark 14:7. She did what she could from a heart of love not a heart of recognition. We still don't know who she was. Peter---well, we know who he is. And he crumbles under the accusation that he is friends with Jesus. Mark 14:71. Peter says: I don't know Him and I don't understand your question, accompanied by cursing and swearing. Failed relationship. Yet, Jesus didn't throw him out. Jesus didn't say we are going to pretend that you were not one of us. There are no-names all over this world anointing Jesus today. We hear about the Beth Moores who love Jesus and others extravagantly. But not the no-names.
Love Christ this day and always extravagantly and let the world misunderstand and gossip and blame us for being too religious. Christ points out this woman to our generation for what she did for him. She's been remembered a long time. A no-name. Do we value what God values or what this celebrity society of ours values?
PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Like it says in Psalm 136, Father we give thanks to you for Your Love never fails. Your Love endures forever. You made the heavens; spread out the earth upon the waters; set the sun and the moon and the stars. And you remember us in our low estate. Psalm 136:23. No-names. We give You thanks!
So much of today's passage speaks to me.
ReplyDeleteWe have a woman who gave something very costly as she anointed our Lord with perfume, a traitor, lying witnesses, and someone who boldly said he would never deny Christ only to do that very thing not once but 3 times.
We read Jesus' prayer in the garden...yet not what I will, but what You will. I wonder how many times I have entreated, implored, petitioned, and begged our Father for an answer without considering His will in the situation.
An humble woman giving all, extravagantly, in love. I love that she has no name. There's something so refreshing about not exalting who she is, but her heart and her heart's motive. She did what she could. She gave what she had. She poured out her heart as she poured out the vial.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so thankful that we have Peter's denial in the Bible and his restoration. Sometimes we need to know we can mess up and He's still going to give us another chance. Soon, He will say "Peter, do you love Me?" and give Peter a chance to renounce his denial and say again, "Yes, Lord. You know I do."
As Christians we do not want recognition here because we will have already received our reward in full. Delayed gratification means a better reward from the One Who matters. Mere men cannot lift up the way God can.
Keep us lowly, Lord. Help us to act out of full hearts not for recognition. Help us carry our cross as servants, not as pompous leaders. And help us not be impressed or critical of any other's offering. We can stay busy just checking our own motivation and confessing our pride, as we work through our salvation with fear and trembling. And when we mess up even in big ways, thank you for letting us know we can come back to You, and confess, "I do love You, Lord." Hear our hearts this day, whatever is laying heavy upon each of us. Remove the burden, we ask. And teach us Your ways that we may please You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.