February 7, 2008
"Aware of this, Jesus said to them, 'Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.'" Matthew 26:10
This verse is taken from the story of when a woman pours expensive perfume over Jesus' head. The disciples say that this was a waste because she could have gotten a lot of money for the perfume and given that money to the poor, but Jesus says, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me." The disciples were right, she could have sold the perfume and given money to the poor and that would have been glorifying to Jesus, but what the woman did was also glorifying to Jesus. She gave up her very expensive perfume to honor and serve Him, and He recognized it for what it was, a beautiful thing. God has given us each a special way to glorify Him. I may think that one way is the best way, and you may have a different way, but God recognizes them all as gifts of glory and servitude. There is no "right way" to give glory to God. Just as in church, someone has to preach, people sing in the choir, people need to be behind the scenes, but there also have to be people who sit in the pews and listen, and someone who kneels down beside their bed to pray at night. One person might seem like they are giving more glory to God, but out of those examples, no one has done a "better job" at glorifying God; no one picked the "right way" while the others did not. Everyone gives glory to God in a different way, and it doesn't matter how you give Him glory, the part that matters is that you are giving Him glory. When we pray together, not only is it bringing glory to God, but it is unifying us in Him. Prayer is a really personal thing, and when we pray in small groups or as a church, we are brought together in glorifying Him. Bringing glory to God is a beautiful thing just as Jesus said. Wouldn't you want to hear Jesus say, "He/she has done a beautiful thing to me" and have Him be talking about you?
Father God, it is my deepest desire to bring you glory in all that I do in my life. Lord help St. John's be unified in glorifying You, and brought together as a strong congregation full of people who love to serve their King in different ways and bring Him glory. Amen.
Alex Lanzel