Beginning of the End

Pondering John 12:1-2.

Friends can be an antidote for loneliness. They can be our rescue from anxiety. When we are feeling defeated by this world, they can redirect us to truth and hope. They can remind us of what is praiseworthy in our lives. And sometimes, we need them to merely sit with us when words won’t suffice.

Six days before the Passover…the beginning of the end…a week before His crucifixion, Jesus returned to Bethany for a dinner given in His honor. There would be no more large public displays with signs and wonders. Instead, Jesus chose to spend His last week of life in quiet, intimate, intentional time with friends. Perhaps He wanted time to express His deep love for them. Maybe He knew that His last days would include loneliness and anxiety so He wanted to be with people who loved Him.

Martha did what she loved to do, what she was created to do. The Bible very specifically tells us, “Martha served.” No grumbling or complaining. No desire to earn attention or affection. Her deep desire to love others was most easily expressed through her hands and feet. And for this dinner party, her acts of service converted into a beautiful, loving act of worship for the One she knew to be her Lord.

I have more than one friend who resembles the Martha in this passage. They never draw attention to their acts of service. In fact, one of them jokingly says she is a “liver” in the body of the church. Why? Because most often, you can’t see her work but her service is absolutely crucial to the health and life of the church. Time and time again, I’ve needed “Martha” look a-likes to encourage me, speak truth to me, pray for me, and step in with much needed organizational skills.

Perhaps this is why Jesus not only wanted to be with His friends, but needed time with them. I think that loving our friends and being loved by them is essential to physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

I know friendship can be complicated and it can be messy at times. Friends stretch us to learn how to love unconditionally and freely forgive. And there are times we find ourselves needing to ask for their forgiveness too. But they are worth the effort. They are of immeasurable value on this journey through life.

For those who long for loving, loyal friends, my encouragement is to find a Bible study or a Christ-centered small group. That is where new friends eventually became my closest friends.

Questions to ponder:

How do I worship Jesus through acts of serving?

Have I expressed gratitude for the gift of friendship?