The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. (Mark 14:7)
Again at first glance this verse appears to be in sharp contrast with the earlier Deuteronomy verse (15:4). However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you.
These verses that describe Jesus’ anointing with expensive perfume at Bethany
The woman with the alabaster jar of very expensive perfume is anointing Jesus. This is an extremely critical point in Jesus’ ministry. Note that this event is occurring immediately before the Lord’s Supper, Gethsemane , His Arrest, Trials, and Crucifixion.
The rebuke Jesus railed against the disciples had more to do with addressing their indignation—they were upset perhaps that this woman of questionable character would perceive the significance of the moment. In John’s account of this event, Jesus says; “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (John 12:7-8)
The woman understood the consequence of Jesus’ mission, while those closer to him did not. The rebuke brings the totality of the event into a clear focus. Our spiritual response to Jesus is urgent. Our work among the poor will be constant for the poor will always be among us. However, there are times that we must not allow a work that is always present to hinder us from our spiritual relationship and worship duties.
Balance is the key! In The Salvation Army, we struggle constantly with this. How do we equalize our spiritual and social ministries?
Can you recall a situation where you have become upset or even indignant over the use of resources for a spiritual function? And perhaps you thought the funds could have been used better for a more compassionate effort?
How do you balance the spiritual and social ministries at your church?
If anyone has material possessions
and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him,
how can the love of God be in him?
1 John 3:17
Beside my tithes, most of my donation of money to the Salvation Army over the years has been pointed at meeting people's social needs. Usually my spiritual donations have gone elsewhere. We are decent at meeting social needs and always getting better in the Salvation Army, but it means nothing without Christ. I guess the balance should be spiritual first, with the social coming out of spiritual conviction. When we see situations where the social outreach effort is bigger than the spiritual, perhaps that is a problem.
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