March 16, 2009

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot… said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

--John 12:3-5

In today’s passage, we see two very different attitudes toward worship. In fact, the two attitudes couldn’t have been more different.

On the one hand, we have Mary, who was always found sitting at the feet of Jesus, worshipping him in word and deed. She even gave that which was precious to her to show her deep love for Christ… a bottle of expensive perfume that she used to wash his feet. 

Then on the other hand we have Judas Iscariot, a critical, insincere, selfish man who was actually stealing from the Lord Jesus.

One was a giver, one was a taker. One had been at the feet of Jesus, one had not.

I would venture to say that most people don’t have what I would call a Judas heart. Yet at the same time, I’m not sure that all of us have what I would call a Mary heart. Most of us probably fall somewhere in-between on this continuance.

What about you? When it comes to giving of your time and resources to the work of the Lord, does your attitude more closely resemble a generous Mary heart… or does it reflect more of a heart of selfishness?

When you settle the issue of lordship in your life, you’ll settle the issue of stewardship in your life. 

What that means is that when Jesus is #1… when he’s your heart’s first affection… you won’t ask how little you can give to him. Your giving will become a true sacrifice of praise to the Lord and love of your life!

WHEN YOU SETTLE THE ISSUE OF LORDSHIP IN YOUR LIFE,
YOU’LL SETTLE THE ISSUE OF STEWARDSHIP IN YOUR LIFE.