Encountering JesusSample

What’s your most prized possession? A gift someone gave you, a piece of jewelry, or a car you bought with your own money? The things we spend our money on are significant to us; we wouldn’t spend our own money on something that wasn’t important to us. There’s a story in the gospel of Luke about a woman who took one of her most valuable possessions — an expensive bottle of perfume — and poured it on Jesus’ feet. She was a known sinner, and Jesus knew he was being criticized for allowing her to approach him, so he told them a story that demonstrated why this woman did what she did: he forgave her many sins, and she loved him. Encountering Jesus is worth far more than any earthly possession ever could be. This woman demonstrated to Jesus in a tangible way just how important he was to her by sacrificing one of her most valuable earthly belongings. We don’t have to physically smash our phones or throw away the things we buy, but we should maintain a posture of humility with our belongings, acknowledging that Jesus is far more important.

Challenge: What’s your most prized earthly possession? Your phone, car, or maybe a video game you’re trying to master? Today, take a break from whatever it is for a full 24 hours. Use the time that would’ve been dedicated to that thing to encounter Jesus instead. Listen to a worship playlist, read through the book of John, or simply sit in Jesus’ presence and talk to him.