Want to do something special for Easter week? I recommend being uniquely and ostentatiously generous. Seriously. Keep reading and I’ll explain why.
Jesus said we will always have the poor with us. There are various interpretations of this verse, including one saying it doesn’t mean what you think.
But however you understand the words of Jesus in this passage, the focus is clearly on the poor. Right?
Well …
Let’s remember a few things. First, Jesus was addressing a group of people who were not poor. The Apostle John wrote the most detailed account because the people in the story were no longer under threat by the time he put it in writing. He tells us the words were spoken at a dinner party specifically for Jesus in the home of Lazarus. These were not rich people, of course, but by any standard (save our modern one) they were not poor.
Second, let’s consider the words were intended for this particular dinner party. For instance, many interpretations have Jesus being very specific — you will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. Some could argue these words were not meant to be applied to all situations throughout history; they were meant for this specific audience.
Third, the story’s focus is not about Jesus admonishing his listeners. That’s just a side plot. The real focus is about Mary lavishly pouring expensive oil on Jesus in an act of worship, humility, and altruism. This story tells us about a deeply meaningful act of generosity.
Lastly, the result of this generous act sets in motion the greatest event in history. Judas, who saw the whole thing unfold and was outraged by the waste of funds poured on Jesus, decided to betray Jesus. Which led to Jesus’ arrest, trial, torture, and murder.
Leading to Resurrection Sunday. Easter — the greatest day in Christendom. The greatest day in history.
Will the poor always be in our land? Will we always have the poor among us? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
But one thing is clear. The rich will always have an opportunity for outrageous generosity. If you make more than $30k a year, you are rich by the standards of the world; incredibly rich in the scope of history. Thus we need to seek out ways to share beauty, compassion, joy, and be irrationally generous in the midst of difficult times.
And sometimes that generosity sets off an amazing series of events. Actually, in my experience, it usually does.
This Holy Week, do something outrageously generous. Give the Judas Iscariots of the world a reason to be upset with you.