What’s your top priority as a Christian? Given the story of the rich man and Lazarus that we read yesterday, wouldn’t it be good to spend more of our time and money helping the poor? Shouldn’t we get up and get busy serving others?

Well of course we should. But remember – in today’s passage, Judas is the one who was thinking in these purely practical ways. He thought the things of this world were much more important than Jesus was. And this kind of worldly focus was what made him a thief, and eventually what led him to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, probably because Jesus wasn’t doing enough to change the worldly circumstances of the people around Him.

In contrast, look at Mary. She was so grateful that Jesus had raised her brother for the dead that she just wanted to get as close to Jesus as she could. She wanted to show Him how much He meant to her – no matter how much it cost in time, money, or attention.

And the same thing is true for us today. However good it may be for us to serve others, serving God is even more important. No matter what good works we do, if they prevent us from focusing our time and attention on God, we need to get things back in their proper perspective.

So, before we head out the door and get caught up in all the busyness of the day, let’s learn a lesson from Mary. Sometime today, let’s turn our attention to the Lord in prayer, and in reading His Word. After all, He has given new life to all who trust in Him. He’s give us the promise of eternal life with Him forever. Doesn’t He deserve all our love and all our praise?

John 12:1-8 (ESV)

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,
5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.
8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”