“In a world that runs on transactional relationships, the gospel should create gift-based communities.” I love this point. That’s it in a nutshell, loving and expecting nothing in return. The idea of waste vs. gifts also leads me to waste vs. sacred, as in how so many churches now have sanctuaries that are multi-purpose spaces. They do this to save money, so the space can be used for other things, rather than reserve the sanctuary as sacred and holy, set apart for worship and communion. I sound old fashioned saying that, but they didn’t have open gym in the Holy of Holies.
"open gym in the Holy of Holies"! what a picture! But yes, that's a great point -- setting apart a sacred space involves risk and a willingness to lose potential benefits to oneself in order to create and preserve something beautiful, transcendent. Which now that I think of it, is a lot of what the concept of Sabbath is about, too!
Wow, wow, wow. This post ministered to me so much. I had just been praying about doing an extravagant thing that felt wasted, and was processing some of that out with Holy Spirit, and then stumbled onto this post. Thank you. 👏🏻🙌🏻🤍 So well done.
This is beautiful. What a timely reminder to me to waste my gifts.
It is also a welcome counterpoint to the sermon I heard this past Palm Sunday, in which, among other things, the young 'theobro' pastor, speaking of how Jesus was forsaken, said "even the woman who anointed him forsook him". (!!!!) It was my last Sunday at that church...
"In a transactional community, “gifts” are talents to be leveraged in some way. “Gifted” speakers earn a salary as pastors; gifted leaders earn positions of power. But Mary’s story shows us that a gift is not a talent; it’s what you give away for free. "
Beautiful. Waste is one of my red flags, I can't bear it most days with 2 kids, myself, my wife--somebody used half of a roll of TP in one sitting--another left the milk out...again. Red rag to a bull. In the context of the Church I have used my presence and gifting as a weapon to take my ball and go home. So convicting--thank you.
thank you! I'm like you, I hate waste when it comes to daily life and utilitarian things. But I do believe that art and anything beautiful necessarily involves "waste" and "purposelessness." There's an article on Mary by Makoto Fujimura from years ago that touches on these ideas, and I hope to unpack this more in further posts!
Love this. I just got done teaching a new course on the parables and the "principle of reversal" that is present in so many of Jesus's stories is also in view here.
“In a world that runs on transactional relationships, the gospel should create gift-based communities.” I love this point. That’s it in a nutshell, loving and expecting nothing in return. The idea of waste vs. gifts also leads me to waste vs. sacred, as in how so many churches now have sanctuaries that are multi-purpose spaces. They do this to save money, so the space can be used for other things, rather than reserve the sanctuary as sacred and holy, set apart for worship and communion. I sound old fashioned saying that, but they didn’t have open gym in the Holy of Holies.
"open gym in the Holy of Holies"! what a picture! But yes, that's a great point -- setting apart a sacred space involves risk and a willingness to lose potential benefits to oneself in order to create and preserve something beautiful, transcendent. Which now that I think of it, is a lot of what the concept of Sabbath is about, too!
Wow, wow, wow. This post ministered to me so much. I had just been praying about doing an extravagant thing that felt wasted, and was processing some of that out with Holy Spirit, and then stumbled onto this post. Thank you. 👏🏻🙌🏻🤍 So well done.
I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know. Would love to hear how it goes, too, if you feel like sharing!
This is beautiful 🙏🏽 it speaks to a creation that is in my heart ❤️
Thanks so much for reading. I find Mary’s story so inspiring and am glad to share that!
So well done. Thank you
This is beautiful. What a timely reminder to me to waste my gifts.
It is also a welcome counterpoint to the sermon I heard this past Palm Sunday, in which, among other things, the young 'theobro' pastor, speaking of how Jesus was forsaken, said "even the woman who anointed him forsook him". (!!!!) It was my last Sunday at that church...
oh goodness! I can't believe he would say that! :( The faithfulness of women in Jesus' life is such a beautiful model (and challenge!) for us all.
That’s so sad. Clueless.
"In a transactional community, “gifts” are talents to be leveraged in some way. “Gifted” speakers earn a salary as pastors; gifted leaders earn positions of power. But Mary’s story shows us that a gift is not a talent; it’s what you give away for free. "
Beautiful. Waste is one of my red flags, I can't bear it most days with 2 kids, myself, my wife--somebody used half of a roll of TP in one sitting--another left the milk out...again. Red rag to a bull. In the context of the Church I have used my presence and gifting as a weapon to take my ball and go home. So convicting--thank you.
thank you! I'm like you, I hate waste when it comes to daily life and utilitarian things. But I do believe that art and anything beautiful necessarily involves "waste" and "purposelessness." There's an article on Mary by Makoto Fujimura from years ago that touches on these ideas, and I hope to unpack this more in further posts!
I look forward to it! I'm in the middle of trying to figure out waste is such a trigger and how to reframe it.
So much good stuff in here! I will be thinking about the ramifications of this. Thank you!
wonderful! thanks for reading!
Love this. I just got done teaching a new course on the parables and the "principle of reversal" that is present in so many of Jesus's stories is also in view here.
Thank you! Yes, great point — the values of the upside-down kingdom are on display here.
Thank you.