Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

It’s not as pretty looking out this window as it was yesterday morning at this time. It’s overcast and gray. But that’s OK. We know the sun is still there above the clouds. And once again, if we change the “sun” to “SON”, we have a pretty neat allegory.

The little boys were delivered again this morning about 5:20am. Both are recovering from a round of sickness. We’ll see how it goes.

I have to use some deliberate discipline to prevent myself from being overwhelmed with my massive list. I need to run along.

Blessings on your day of working on your own list of objectives and demands.

Love, Dad/Ray

It seems to me that this line could be an appropriate epitaph on her tombstone. “She did what she could.” She may not have been extremely talented, famous, or influential, but she did what she could. She made use of the resources she had. She took advantage of opportunities to serve the One she chose to be her Lord.

Question: Did everyone understand and appreciate this woman’s act of worship? Nope. In fact it triggered some rather ugly conflict. Mark records that “some of those present…rebuked her harshly” (vv. 4-5). We are not told a lot about this “woman” or about all the details of the scene other than the fact that the onlookers judged that she took something very valuable and wasted it on Jesus. Lesson: When you waste your life by serving Christ as Lord, you will meet with some of the same contempt from those who are antagonistic to the idea of Christ as Lord. So what else is new? The wonderful fact is that there was no rebuking from Jesus. He didn’t call it a waste. In fact He applauded her, saying “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” One more question: Who’s judgment matters most?

Hmm. I’m giving this some personal reflection. Sooner or later this old body I temporarily live in is going to end up in some cold dark grave. When that happens, I cannot imagine an epitaph more attractive to me. I would hope that such a statement could appropriately characterize the few short years of my plodding on this planet. “He did what he could.” Not very fancy. No flash. No frills. Not very famous. Mistakes here and there. A few puny achievements. Soon forgotten. But, “he did what he could.” I’ll accept that.

It really is good to remember that the standard God uses to determine your success is, in fact, you yourself. That is, He will never expect you to perform outside the parameters of your individual potential. You will be measured against the standard of what you could have been and done. And through Christ you CAN come the closest to living up to your potential toward becoming all you should be—and doing all you should do. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). And remember—THIS IS THE FIRST DAY IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.