November 30, 2021 -- Mark 14:3-7 -- True Poverty and True Help

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.
Mark 14:3-7 ESV

The sacrifice the woman made in honouring Jesus, the pure nard, was worth a year’s wages. It was an extravagant gift. The response Jesus makes is rather enigmatic. First of all, understand this, Jesus is not expressing approval when He stated the poor you will always have with you. Poverty is a sign of broken covenants. Some are poor because of their sin. Some are poor because of the greed of others. Some are poor because of circumstances and despite their poverty remain faithful to the Living God. Second, the greatest gift one can receive is not the alleviation of their poverty, but the treasure of knowing Jesus. That is riches beyond compare.

I wonder, how much of our charity work is more harmful than good? It is work that inadvertently keeps poor people poor. Soup kitchens for emergencies, yes, these make sense. If soup kitchens become the main source of food, then a man’s dignity is crippled and both his desire and his ability to work are deadened. Robert Lupton, in his book, Charity Detox, notes the three R’s which truly are the most useful to help lift others out of poverty.

Re-neighbouring—that is knowing and living among those who are in need. True fellowship and friendship are the community which Jesus teaches. This means not just occasional visits to those in need, but true friendship and mentoring.

Reconciliation—living in diverse neighbourhoods and learning to be true neighbours, even where there are different politics, different social strata and values. How do we live, truly and deeply with one another?

Redistribution—Lupton is quick to note he is not a socialist. But good neighbours will lend a hedge clipper back and forth. People who are good neighbours can ask for flour if they happen to run short. True communities lend gifts and services, for example—I need a babysitter, you need help mowing the lawn while you’re recovering from a broken leg.

How shall we live? As those dedicated to Jesus Christ—in Whom we experience new life. We are lifted from death and the poverty of our sins and brought into fellowship with our Father in heaven through the powerful work of the Spirit.

Our prayer this day is one of the stanzas of the carol: O Come, O Come, Immanuel.

O Come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem, unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
Text of this carol is from the 12th century

https://youtu.be/jX3T5sL0pzY