How do you respond ...

There are many ways that we might show someone how much we appreciate them, how much they mean to us, how much we love them. I am sure you have heard the saying, actions speak louder than words. And that is particularly evident by the actions of Mary (the sister of Lazarus) in this encounter:

John 12:1-11 (New Living Translation)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

1 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

9 When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11 for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

So I pose the question again, how do you respond to the knowledge of who Jesus is? What action of yours brings honour to Him? In what way do you display your appreciation, your gratefulness, your love for Him, to Him?

Sadly, before the twelfth chapter of John is concluded, we have people who do not believe, or are willing to show their belief in Jesus for fear of reprisal, or fear of what others might think, or the repercussions they might face. It makes answering the question all the more important, and with a bit more consideration -

How do I respond to the knowledge of who Jesus is?