John 12:4-8 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."
1. Don't try and cover up selfishness with nice sounding pretexts.
Judas' words are not even given an opportunity to be misinterpreted as compassionate. He had a selfish heart, but tried to hide that behind nice sounding words. We must be careful not to do the same. Here are a few examples.
1. Gossiping while "giving a prayer request". Praying is vital. We must watch the motivation of our hearts.
2. Neglecting, or leaving a ministry because you "feel led" when really you're just wanting to have more time to yourself. The Spirit leads. Just make sure it's Him you are following.
3. Not giving to the poor, or missions because "we should focus more on...." fill in the blank. Actually, don't feel in the blank because a lot of times we claim to be focusing on one thing instead of another, but do neither.
2. Keep your priorities on what actually matters.
Jesus doesn't hate poor people. He isn't saying philanthropy is a waste of time. He is just redirecting their attention to the key thing.
1. He knows Judas' heart.
2. He is about to lay down His life for the entire world. There is a lot to be learned and done. This act was emphasizing the importance of the only one who really matters.
3. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
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