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