Waste?
“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” John 12:5
Today I want to identify one of the ways you can recognize if you have this money obsession or covetous heart. The verse for today is a passage that talks about Mary, Lazarus’ sister, anointing Jesus with the fragrant oil before His crucifixion. Mary brought the most precious and expensive thing she owned and began pouring out this extravagant gift on Jesus. Immediately Judas Iscariot became indignant with the excessiveness of the gift. He wanted to talk about better ways this precious oil could have been used. We know that his intentions were based in greed because the following verse says he didn’t care anything about the poor and that he was a thief. He was thinking about how he could get his hands on that gift and what he would do with the proceeds.
It is very alarming to me when I hear people talking about how others spend their money. It clearly reveals the evil intent that comes from loving money. I have watched and even heard people say (when they see someone with expensive things) just what others should have done with their money instead of spending it on themselves. “They could feed the poor, they could support missions”, but the truth is they have no idea what else that person may be supporting or using their finances for. Jesus had no issue whatsoever with this extravagant gift and recognized it as a true locator of where her heart was. He even said, “you have poor people with you every day, but I will only be here for a short time.” He did not see this as a waste of money but that she was honoring Him with everything she had.
The fact is we have a very extravagant Heavenly Father, and He desires us to have good things. He just doesn’t want “things” to have us. He didn’t spare His most precious gift when He gave His Son for us. He would gladly give us all things! “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Today I want to caution all of us to watch our heart concerning money. The next time you hear someone say, “they could have sold that and given it to the poor” remember they are quoting Judas (the disciple who betrayed Jesus.) It can be easy to be deceived into thinking you have good ideas for other people’s money and what you might do if you had more money of your own. Watch the intent of your heart and make sure it lines up with God’s way of thinking. Don’t get tangled up in the evil root of loving money! Trust God and live by His ways and become an extravagant giver like He is. He will bless you more than you can imagine!
Today’s scripture reading: John 12:4-8
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,
5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
The Daily Dose 