I've never liked wasting anything: time, money, gas, food, an education....While you may think that is an admirable quality, for me it's been something I've had to overcome.
For example, my day-planner filled with to-do's, activities, schedules, business events filled my days and nights with what seemed like profitable things to do.
In the Gospel of John, there is a story about Mary of Bethany. John says that Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead was there at the dinner table. Then "Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment." (John 12:3).
The story goes on that Judas and the other disciples were indignant as the costly perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor.
At this time, 300 denarii was about a years wages. The picture at the top left is of a rare parfume called, "Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty." The bottle retails for about $215,000, considerably more than a years wages.
Jesus however doesn't share this criticism that the costly ointment had been wasted. He says that it had been used for the day of his burial. It wasn't wasted, it was appropriate. It wasn't a time to think about the poor that could have been helped but it was a time to focus on Jesus.
Mary had been criticized before for 'wasting' time with Jesus. Her sister Martha wanted Mary to help her with food prep but Mary chose time with Jesus. Jesus shows us that time with Him is not wasted.
Often, we fill our day with many pressing things while the more important things are ignored. What a waste! In 1 Cor. 15:58, the Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work you do for the Lord isn't wasted.
This theme is consistant in the Bible. Jesus spent the first thirty years of His life in preparation of a three-year ministry with twelve men that would change the world. Moses spent forty years with Pharaoh and then forty years with his father-in-law Jethro before he led the people of Israel out of Egypt and to the promised land. The good samaritan delayed his journey and took the time to clean and anoint the wounds of the man left half-dead and then took him to a place where he could fully recovery.
At the end of our life, may we be able to look back at time spent with the Lord and in work we do for the Lord. If we don't, we may look back at our days and have to admit, "What a waste!"
