EXTRACT
TRUE WISDOM TO HONOUR CHRIST
God takes care that there should be a full witness to Christ as Son of God, Son of David and Son of man.
Mary’s thought in her act goes really beyond death; Christ was her life. A man tries to distinguish his life—if he is a man of the world he is right to try to distinguish his life by getting on in the world. Mary was wise, she honoured Christ and she is distinguished by this, for the Lord says of her that wherever the gospel is preached her act shall be spoken of. This act of hers was the moral sequence of sitting at the feet of Jesus and of hearing His word.
Christ was her life in the matter of His being everything to her. So with us, Christ is our life, and it is well when all that we have is devoted to Him, our speech and all that is true wisdom.
A Christian really wants to pass out of sight himself, but when opportunity offers he should honour Christ. Mary gave her all—she did what she could; the widow also who gave
her two mites, she did what she could. The ointment was a sacrifice, so what we have is devoted, it is a sacrifice. Martha would have been wise to do as Mary did; Martha, as seen in this chapter, may have learnt her lesson—it says she served, and she did not complain of Mary not helping her, but Mary is the one here who is distinguished, and that because she honoured Christ. Mary’s act drew out the thoughts of the disciples, it was waste in their view, and many a Christian is judged in that way. Why not devote your energies to benefit the world? The true way is to honour Christ, for no real good is done to this world except by Christ.
It is a real waste to try to benefit the world in any way except by Christ, but if you distinguish Him there you do the best for the world. You may be impelled by man in some way or other, you need to analyse your motives as to whence the impulse comes, that thus you may be impelled by divine influences and not by human.
Christ has brought us to the revelation of God, and people ought to have a great deal more joy in connection with this revelation than they have, it is so blessed to have got such a revelation of God. Mary was held to Christ; the Spirit was not yet given, but she was held to Him. In Him there was the testimony of God brought to her, it was this that held her to Christ. All was divinely ordered, she did the right thing at the right moment. The Lord appreciated it—He said, “She hath done what she could”; He appreciates everything done to Himself. Mary was misjudged even by the disciples.
F. E. Raven (Vol. 19, pp.524,525)
Edited and Published by J. Strachan, 59 Frederick Street, Dundee, DD3 9DE, Scotland Printed by Crystal Stationery, 22 Western Road, Billericay, Essex CM12 9DZ, (T) (01277) 650661