Mark 14:6-9

Passage

Jesus defends the woman.  He tells the gathered audience that she has done a beautiful thing to Him.  He also says that we will always have the poor and we can do good to them whenever we want.  He then teaches that the world will not always have Him.  Then Jesus tells the gathered people in certainty that she has prepared Him beforehand for burial.  Finally, Jesus tells His audience that wherever the Gospel is proclaimed, her service to Him will be remembered.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus defends the woman.  The popular thing to do would be to let them accuse her and let her go on her way.  Certainly that’s what the vast majority was planning on doing.  But Jesus has never been one to support the majority.  Remember, the road is narrow, not wide.  So Jesus stands up for this woman.  When nobody else was there to defend her, Jesus stood by her side.

How does it feel to have a Savior who already put His neck on the line for our sake?  How does it feel to have a savior that promises eternal life to all who stand up for Him regardless of what happens?

Second Thought:

Jesus tells us that we will always have the poor with us.  Again, Jesus is telling us that the concepts of “poor” and “rich” are effects of the way that human beings organize themselves.  When human beings are together, there will always be the haves and the have-nots.  The system doesn’t really matter.  There will always be the rich and the poor.

Why will there always be rich and poor?  What is it about human beings that we automatically sort ourselves into such categories?  What are the social dynamics and the internal dynamics that make these categories real in life?

Third Thought:

Jesus tells His audience that this woman’s service will be remembered.  (For the record, we may know the woman’s name if John 11:1-2 is referencing this same incident.)  What is important, though, is that it is service that causes her to be remembered.  It is not her greatness.  Neither is it her giftedness.  Neither is it her physical attractiveness.  Neither is it her personality.  What causes her to be remembered is her service to the Lord.  There’s a lesson we all need to hear.

Why is service so important to being a Christian?  What do we gain in service?  What do we give in service?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 14: 10-11