Giving Yourself

Thursday, March 14, 2013                John 12:1-8           

Sara Reynolds Frederick

My mom’s friend Jean visits the women’s prison to share the Gospel with inmates. Jean converses with the women by listening to their stories and sharing God’s grace. When Jean shares her experience with others outside the prison, it surprises them. Jean acts as if visiting the women’s prison is a normal volunteer action. She knows the women she visits appreciate her and God’s grace.

I, on the other hand, would find it difficult to visit the prison. My perspective of prison is a not-so clean, dark, uncomfortable place. What if I feel uncomfortable around one of the inmates by a story they are telling? Or the atmosphere is incredibly uncomfortable I cannot follow through with volunteering? Jean doesn’t have my same concerns. She is able to listen and shows that God’s grace is a gift to share with others.

Jean is acting similar to Mary, who in this story is giving all she has to serve Jesus. Maybe I am acting in a way similar to Judas. Judas looks at Mary as if she is foolish for anointing Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume and questions whether that money should have gone to help the poor instead. Maybe I look at Jean as if she is foolish for reaching out to help women who have broken the law. Couldn’t she coordinate to donate Bibles for the women to read if they are interested in hearing the Gospel? 

But I don’t look at Jean as foolish. The Lord gives all of us different gifts. Sharing the Gospel is Jean’s gift. I am still searching as to what my gift is and to use it not only during the Lenten season, but throughout the years to come.  

Prayer: God, help me to find my gift to serve you. Amen.

Daily Challenge: What is your gift?