One decision can alter the course of history. I had an experience recently driving a car in Scotland. It was my first time driving in the United Kingdom where they drive on the opposite side of the street. Now you might thing that is no big deal, but believe me, it was tough. For over 41 years my brain has been trained to drive on the right side of the road, to watch for danger coming at me from the left side, to turn right when I want to turn right, not go left around the roundabout and then turn left. My brain screamed at me “danger, danger, danger” for two full weeks.
On day 10 of my driving, it had had enough. All the vigilance I could muster had been used up. I let my guard down for a moment. I didn’t double check my turning decision. Crash! My driving record of thirty years ruined in a moment. Luckily I paid the extra for the rental car insurance. No one was hurt. And so far I haven’t been summoned back to the UK for a trial.
I am glad to be back on US soil again, where people drive on the right side of the road! My brain has gone out of high gear, back into normal mode. Driving makes sense again. People aren’t trying to kill me every moment of every trip.
Jesus is at the supper at Simon’s house and a woman has come in and poured very expensive oil on His head. The disciples have gotten very upset over what they perceive as a waste of valuable resources. But Jesus sees beyond the cost.
Jesus hears in this woman’s act an act of love. She knows something that the disciples seem to constantly miss: Jesus is going to die. She poured the fragrant oil as a way to prepare Jesus for His upcoming death. I imagine that the fragrance was still present a few days later when He was crucified and buried. They didn’t have the same shampooing routine as we do. They probably only washed their hair occasionally. They certainly didn’t do it every day. And Jesus betrayal and death are only a couple days away. The fragrance would have still been noticeable.
What I find wonderful is that Jesus honors this unnamed woman. Her act of kindness is remembered. She has a memorial, unlike so many others of her day. So many who had contact with Jesus faded into history. Her memory is still alive. Her act of kindness wrote her story in the pages of history, not just human history but eternal history. And yet she remains nameless.
I want to be an unnamed man. I want what I did for Jesus to be remembered. I don’t care if my name is attached. I want Jesus to be the center of all that I do. But I am not there yet. There are still times when “I” get in the way. I want my way. I want the glory. I want the credit. I want the spotlight focused on me. Forgive me Lord!
Do you ever want the credit for something you did?
The Arnold Journey 