There’s an interesting incident recorded in the gospels. Jesus is having dinner at someone’s house. A woman comes in, uninvited, and pours very expensive perfume on Jesus’ head. She isn’t named, so I suspect she wasn’t very famous, even among the group of people who followed Jesus. Nobody really knows her, yet they are quick to criticise. What a waste, they say; if she really wanted to do some good charitable deed, surely she should have sold that perfume (it was worth over a whole years wage they’d figured out) and distributed the money among the poor. That would have made her feel good about herself, the crowd would have applauded, and she would have been crowned a philanthropist. And perhaps, her name would have been worth mentioning, her nobility would have demanded recognition. But none of that, what a waste they say, while shaking their heads in disapproval. “But Jesus said, “Let her alone, why must you make her feel uncomfortable? She has done a beautiful thing for me. You have the poor with you always and you can do good to them whenever you like, but you will not always have me. She has done all she could—for she has anointed my body in preparation for burial. I assure you that wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the whole world, this deed of hers will also be recounted, as her memorial to me.””(Mark 14:6-9, PHILLIPS emphasis mine).
I find this incident strikingly similar to another event mentioned in Mark's gospel, just a few chapters before this one. Jesus is sitting right next to the temple’s collection box, watching people give money for godly causes. ‘ A great many rich people put in large sums. Then a poor widow came up and dropped in two little coins, worth together about a halfpenny. Jesus called his disciples to his side and said to them, “Believe me, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. For they have all put in what they can easily afford, but she in her poverty who needs so much, has given away everything, her whole living!” (Mark 12:41-44, PHILLIPS emphasis mine).
The point Jesus was making is pretty obvious: numbers don’t impress God at all, but proportions do. By His standards, a lot of good things that people do and receive recognition for are totally insignificant, in His kingdom, they wont be worth mentioning. But people, who give God their all, a 100% of what they've been given, come under heaven’s spotlight. Their deeds will be recounted, the Bible tells us, I think there will be an awards ceremony in heaven for these people.
Here’s the bottom line, God has blessed each one of us with talents and abilities, it may be a position of influence, a good job, money, or it may be skills, everyone is good at something. Lets make the most of it. Let’s give God a 100% effort, lets do all we could, lets give it our everything. Let’s not be content with the little things we do every once in a while in the name of pleasing God. They might have some value, but why settle for less when God’s best awaits. God’s principles are simple: the more you sow, the more you reap. The choice is ours. Not everyone who runs a race gets to stand on the podium, only winners do. I can’t fully imagine what it would be like when God calls your name to receive an award, but I think it might go something like this : ‘…this is my son (or daughter) _________, I’m very pleased with Him/Her. He/She has done a beautiful thing for me’.
On my wall I have a little wooden cross. On it, is written this quote by Erma Bombeck: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'. Lets aim for that.
