Daily Bread

29 Jul 25
Today’s Daily Bread is brought to you by Rev Gav.

John 12.1–8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

Reflect

It is tempting to read the stories in the Bible with rose-tinted glasses, to sanitise Jesus and his disciples, and view them in soft focus, however the truth is that life around Jesus was, at times, emotional, messy, difficult, sweaty, and stressful. Why? Because this is what life is like! Relationships are never easy or straight forward, even when you're with the Son of God.

In this story we have such a mix of characters. There is Martha, serving, perhaps now changed after Jesus had encouraged her to be less 'distracted'. There is Lazarus, and goodness knows what he was thinking? I wonder if he chuckled to himself every time he remembered waking up in a tomb and being called out — I mean, that's got to mess with your head! Then there was Mary, who never seemed to do what was expected, crossed boundaries, and broke expected social norms. She seemed to know what what was coming and that this would be the right moment to take the expensive perfume and anoint Jesus, echoing an intimate funeral rite. It is no wonder that the disciples took offence, and although Judas, as John explained, was a thief, I bet he wasn't the only one in the room thinking the same thing.

In your own journey with Jesus — your own walk with God — there are going to be times when you, like Mary, need to step out in faith, trusting in both your own intuition and the Spirit's leading, and do the right thing. To others, it may make no rational sense, and you may have vocal opponents, but you will know in your heart that you have to do what you have to do.

Pray

Holy God
Help me be bold
and courageous
in my walk with you.
May I ignore the
criticism of others,
and through the power
of the Holy Spirit,
trust in your
divine leadership.
Now and always.

Prayed 11 times.
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