Doing What We Can

“She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” – Mark 14:8-9 (NRSV)

What can you do for Jesus? Have you done it? What is holding you back? How are you holding yourself back? Who have you seen that did something beautiful for God? What can be told about you wherever the good news is proclaimed?

Jesus spoke this of a nameless woman (in Mark’s Gospel that is) who poured expensive perfume all over him. Some people said it was a shame that she would waste it, but not Jesus. He praised her for doing what she could do, which was lovingly giving the best she had to Jesus.
Many of us wish we could do all sorts of things for Jesus. We wish we had more money so that we could give it to the church for some kind of ministry. We wish we had the ability to preach like Billy Graham so that we could tell more people about the love of Jesus. We wish we could write some hugely successful book like Rick Warren so that others might find meaning in their lives. Sometimes our wish is that others would get out of our way so that we could do what we want. The whole while we are wishing about what we might be able to do we never do what we can.
This woman did what she could, and we still talk about it 2000 years later!

Just last week a married couple worked on bicycles for the needy here at the church. Using their talents they were able to make three bikes work that before didn’t. I thanked them for blessing three needy people by taking their time to repair those bikes. “Oh we are only doing what we can,” I was told. And somewhere Jesus was rejoicing, praising them for doing what they could. What can we do for Jesus? Whatever that is, it is time to do it!

With hope and joy,
Garrett

Worthy of Praise: Being Rich

Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. – Philippians 4:8 (NCV)

 

What is good and worthy of praise?  Do you think about the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected?  How does life seem when you focus on these things?  Have you met anyone whose thoughts were on such things?  What was his/her attitude about life?  What are people like who do not think on these things?

 

Another story e-mailed to me:

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

 

When we think about those things that are good and worthy of praise we can see riches where others see nothing!  We must not think about only worldly riches and thereby miss out on all that is true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected.  Do not be poor.  There is richness everywhere, pray that you have eyes to see it and begin thinking on it!

With hope and joy,

Garrett