Sometimes it is hard to know how best to serve God with our riches. Have you ever seen a beautiful Cathedral? They are gorgeous, ornate buildings, both inside and out, built for worshipping God. But is that wasteful? Couldn't all that money have been put to better use supporting the poor, the hungry, the abused, or the homeless? What is the right way to glorify God? Deciding how to be a good steward isn't always easy.
God wants us to care for those in our midst who need help. Many verses throughout the Bible tell us to support those who are poor. God also desires our worship and is pleased when we express our deep devotion by giving our best to glorify him. He even instructed his people to build a beautiful temple, and to cover the ark of the covenant inside and out with gold. And when the woman with the jar of perfume anointed Jesus' feet and people questioned why she would waste something so expensive, Jesus rebuked them:
While [Jesus] was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:3-9 NIV
It isn't an "either - or" situation. Jesus wants us to help the poor and needy. He also accepts our expressions of thankfulness and the beautiful things we do for him. Whether it is glorifying or wasteful is not a black or white issue. It has a lot to do with what our motivations are and what is in our hearts. We pray that we are able to find a God-pleasing balance in all that we do with what he gives us.
written by Jan Andersen
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