John 12:3-8—Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
The trail to heaven is littered with casualties—victims of misguided priorities or the worship of need-driven agendas. These wounded souls once burned bright in their zeal to serve God. They played clarion songs for the poor and engaged in rescuing the oppressed with fervor capable of melting granite skeptics into milky wax. They gave sacrificially with glad hearts. So what happened that they should be reduced to bitter herbs and poured out ashes?
“You will always have the poor among you.” Jesus uttered these words to a man whose heart no longer leaped in the presence of holiness. Judas Iscariot had grown impatient and tired of the Man of Sorrows. Seduced by ideals and his own noble agenda, he abandoned God’s truth for Satan’s deception. Judas became an open conduit through whom Lucifer could work his patented back-stabbing betrayal.
When what we do (ministry), becomes more important than Who we know, we are in trouble. If our eyes are not fixed on Jesus what we are fixing eventually may destroy us. Problem-solving is not what keeps us spiritually vibrant, Jesus is. We take on needs as God leads because He is the One we are to follow. He is the One Who gives us the strength to labor.
Beware of the Christian leader who says “I don’t have time to pray I’m too busy with ministry.” Do you want to be led by one who disdains the need to spend time with God? If you know a leader like that, humbly inquire, “How can I encourage you to make the time to be with God?” Our Father never intended for ministry to become a mistress or our dictator. How can He be pleased if feeding others takes away our own appetite for the Bread of Life?
Does this mean we should ignore needs? Certainly not! For as many as burn out by making ministry their first love, there are three times as many people not meeting needs because it is inconvenient or unattractive. The key is safeguarding our sacred priority to know Christ and to obey the leading of His Holy Spirit. Jesus never said, “You shall know the need and the need shall set you free.” Don’t become a casualty!
Inspiration
