John 12:4-8 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 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. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
Today, I would like to issue a warning to all of us while also offering words of encouragement. In theses verses we see the reaction of one of Jesus' disciples to what Mary did in worshipping Jesus. The warning goes out to any of us who think that we can hide the motives of our hearts from the Lord. While Judas appears to put forth a valid point, while at the same time discouraging Mary's actions, God saw right past his words, and right to his heart and intentions. He spoke words of discouragement in an attempt to seem noble, but it all fell flat before the Lord, who knew that Judas was both a betrayer and a thief. Let us be careful to examine our motives before we open our mouths to speak words to exalt ourselves, but also words that would discourage what others have done with a heart of worship. For those of us on the receiving end of discouraging words, know that Jesus always sees and knows why we do what we do, even if our actions draw criticism from others. Ultimately, we should care more about what the Lord knows and sees about us, than being overly concerned with the judgmental criticisms of men. Let us worship God with all our heart, serve Him with a heart of worship, and disregard the words of those who wrongly judge our motives; knowing that God sees what matters...our hearts.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).
No comments:
Post a Comment