GroshLink

This Sojourners piece considering Jesus' words regarding the woman who poured expensive perfume from a jar onto Jesus' head in the context of Deuteronomy 15 is 'Today's Thing to Think About'

by Bryant Myers, an author and the vice president of an international program strategy for World Vision International.

Excerpt:

The mistaken activist

There is an important lesson here for Christians who do relief and development work among the poor. Too many Christian activists are ruining their health and destroying their families while justifying the zeal because of their commitment to the poor.

In the name of the poor, activist workaholics suffer from poor health and burnout, and they damage their spouses and children.

This is not a gospel stance. This is not what Jesus asks us to do. Our devotion must be directed at Jesus, not the poor themselves.

While we certainly are supposed to love our neighbor, especially our poor neighbor, we are to worship only Jesus. The woman understood this and the disciples did not.

Getting your spirituality and worship right is key to sustaining one's service to God and the poor.