Jesus knows when to have a good time...

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. " 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 12:1-8)

I read the above passage this morning and I liked it a lot because it made me think about how Jesus was not legalistic. Of course God has always been and will always be for giving to the poor, but He also knows when it's appropriate to throw the "rules" out the window for something more important. In my opinion, legalism is a thief of joy; if Mary had been legalistic about not "wasting" the perfume and instead giving money to the ever-present poor, she would not have had the joy of anointing Jesus' feet and worshiping Him while He was on this earth as a human.

I want to make a conscious effort not to miss out on the most worthwhile things in my life, but to see them and embrace them wholeheartedly.