He was always being
invited out for dinner, never short of an invitation. There was always someone
who wanted to talk to him, to ask him questions, to try and get his opinion,
and a meal was a good opportunity for conversation. I did wonder why he
accepted some of the invitations. Personally, I would have avoided some of his
dinner companions, but we always tagged along. We wanted to see what he was up
to, and we came as a sort of package, Jesus and his disciples. None of the
hosts seemed to mind that.
Simon had a nice
house, and it was good food, but I was never quite sure why he would go to the
home of a leper. It always seemed risky. But the conversation flowed, and so
did the wine. Simon and his friends had lots of questions. They seemed to be
really interested in what Jesus was saying.
Then it happened. How
embarrassing! How annoying! Simon did not seem to bother who wandered into his
courtyard, or who listened in to the conversation. But this woman did not just
stay on the fringe, listening in, like other passers-by. She walked straight up
to Jesus. He was carrying a jar of perfume which she broke up. I have to admit
that it was expensive stuff. You could tell that immediately from the aroma
that spread across the air. It smelt lovely – but how inappropriate. How could
she gate-crash the party and draw such attention to herself?
What a waste! I was
so annoyed. We could have done so much with that money. It would have kept a
foodbank going for a month. It was all used in a moment, and it could have done
so much.
But Jesus commended
the woman. He said that she had done something really special. He said that she
would always be remembered for what she had done.
So maybe, just maybe,
there are some things that I need to learn from that woman (and even from
Simon). What are the questions I need to be asking? How can I be more
hospitable? What do I need to see or do differently? What costly thing do I
need to do for/give to God? What good service should I be performing for God –
and for others? What preparations do I need to be undertaking – and for what?
What do I want to be remembered for? What will I be remembered for?
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