The Problem with Now

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:6-16 ESV). Someone has said, "Never sacrifice the ultimate on the altar of the immediate." That is the summary of the problem so many people have with “now.” While it is true that we ought to live our lives in the present tense, it is also true that our choices ought to be measured against their ultimate consequences. In our reading today we see Judas, who was one of Jesus' twelve disciples and keeper of the moneybox. It is widely suspected that He used to pilfer what was put into the box. It is no wonder that he was upset with Mary Magdalene for using the expensive ointment on Jesus. He saw it as a waste. When he was reprimanded for his greed he went to the religious leaders to offer Jesus in return for a reward. He was willing to sacrifice the ultimate for the immediate. In today's world, many are so busy spending their time and energy seeking after wealth and gratification of their immediate pleasure, that they are in the same danger. They are in danger of joining Judas in betraying Jesus for silver. We are told by Jesus (cf. Matthew 6) not to store up for ourselves treasures upon earth, but to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where it will last forever. We are also admonished in the same passage that no one can serve two masters, that we cannot serve God and wealth. Christ does not say we must not, or we should not, but that we CANNOT serve both God and wealth. This is not to say that we are to be lazy and not work or save for the future or that God does not want us to enjoy the blessings He gives us. On the contrary, we are to be hard workers. However, it is only to say that there is something of far greater value that should be our priority, and we should not let our senses and their demands and pressures from the world around us keep us from the ultimate by enslaving ourselves to the immediate. As you make your choices in life, look at the consequences. Where you place your time and energy ought to draw you closer to the Lord, not drive you further from Him.