“…She has done a good work for Me.” Mark 14:6
Do What You Can
A series of conversations, Bible studies, and books nagged at me to consider if I was being who God had called me to be and doing the things He would have me doing at this time in my life. This morning I started my day with a devotional reading that described the present evil and darkness of our society and how that left the author with a feeling of utter helplessness. She mentioned that because she did not have great authority or a big public platform, she felt as though she did nothing meaningful at all.
It awakened me to my own feelings that the things I did were so small. I believed my contributions made no real difference. No matter what I did, it wouldn’t be enough. What could I actually change? Does it really matter what I do?
Well, yes, it does matter. It does make a difference to someone. These acts of kindness, prayer, offers of help, donations, hugs, words of encouragement, touch someone’s life. It makes a difference to them. My eyes were opened on a different perspective.
The woman in Mark 14:6 was being sharply criticized. She was being troubled by harsh judgments regarding her kind deed. Those around her were indignant. She had poured costly oil on the head of Jesus. This oil should have been sold and the money given to the poor! Her accusers said she had wasted it—this deed was of no value in their eyes. Did her action change anything? The poor would always be there to be cared for and that had not changed. Was it wasted?
And yet…she did the thing set before her. She did the kind thing, the gracious thing. Jesus said, “She has done what she could” (Mark 14:8). Her simple act of sacrifice in that holy moment mattered to Someone.
Later that same morning while walking the River Trail I came upon two young runners sitting on the trail, red-faced, sweating profusely, and chugging down water. They had run hard and long on a 100-degree day and they were spent. I spoke as I walked by. “Looks like you had a good run. This is all that I can do!” We laughed and they cheered me on. They got it. Do what you can do.
And then farther along, this picture. A “dead” tree fallen into the river and uprooted. And yet…one stubborn, persistent branch growing and green. Just doing what it could do. Just speaking life in the midst of death. Not quitting, not giving up, and certainly not helpless.
It matters. In God’s great plans, it all matters. It has value and eternal meaning. We don’t have to do the big thing, the dramatic thing, the world-shattering thing. Do the thing set before you in the moment. Use what you have at hand. Do the little things. Do it for Jesus. Do what you can.
“Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:9).
“Father, You sent a Babe to a small and occupied nation to become an Eternal King. You used a shepherd boy to defeat a mighty warrior giant. You use ordinary people doing small things. May we keep on doing the thing You set before us. May we faithfully do what we can! Amen.”
We all probably feel that way at times. I certainly do, but on the other hand, I am stretched to the limit helping on a couple different fronts. Thank you for the reminder that we are doing ‘what we can’!
Good encouragement
Amen.
I too have been feeling this way at times, but as the Most High God descends from on high, like a river flowing from a high mountain, down to the valley below, it replenishes that what it touches. Just as God pours out His love to us from on High, he descents down from on High to those below, filling us with His precious gifts from on High. We must pour out the love we receive from Him on others. Always receiving, and always pouring out until we are empty. Then we reach to the Most High for His filling again,so we can continue to pour out His Love.
Thank you for the reminder that we are to be more like Him, reaching out to the oppressed which might seem like nothing, but as He fills us and replenishes us with His Love, we can in turn pour it back out as the writer of this story has done, even in small ways. What seems little is huge to our God. Blessings to everyone!!!!
Yes. God has used so many of these devotionals in my life to confirm something He has told me. I marvel at just how often this happens sometimes daily. How can that be? God only knows (as the song says).