written by Stephan Joubert
Paul’s farewell words to the church leaders Ephesus in Acts 20 grabs my heart over and over again. It just should have been one of the more well-known and popular texts in the church than it is today. Especially precious is the apostle’s words that he worked hard to always have something to give to the poor! This verse belongs in the same company as John 3:16, the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23.
In these deep words of Paul we encounter the complete heart of the gospel in a nutshell, namely that we must always life generously. That’s what the gospel is about — giving, not receiving. And not storing things up just for ourselves. We don’t work only for our own retirement package or the next luxury item on our never-ending shopping list. No, we also work hard to be able to care for those who are suffering. Our biggest investments in God’s kingdom is to reach out every time we encounter someone that’s less privileged than ourselves. So, how about a fresh re-appreciation of Acts 20:35 here in the new year?
written by Stephan Joubert
“And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly.” That was Jesus’ words about that remarkable woman who poured a bottle of very expensive perfume over his head at a dinner in Bethany (Mark 14). It was more than a year’s income for the average person in Palestine that she “wasted” on Jesus. But it was exactly the right kind of wasting! It was the right kind of thing to do since Jesus was the Recipient thereof.
To pour out your life on the Lord, by giving your money, talents, time and energy to Him in an overly generous way, might seem like a useless waste in the eyes of those around you. However, that’s not the case when the Lord is the Recipient. In this festive season, learn from this woman where unnecessary wasting of earthly things is in order. Learn from the Lord’s contemporary heroes who are wasting to perfection in the proper way. Go and practice the art of over-the-top wastefulness in such a way that heaven and earth will start noticing.
