A Fine and Beautiful Thing

 A Fine and Beautiful Thing


Surprise! This blog is going out a little early this week since we won't have WiFi for the next few days. We're doing great and looking forward to starting the "driving portion" of our American visit next week. Love ya!

(Note to Reader: This is another in our series of “River Crossings” blogs, written while we were in Thailand (2009-2011). Enjoy!)

You might remember Tony wrote a blog a couple of weeks ago about “pouring out your life for the Lord”... Well, Tony was sick this last week. I mean a sickness of biblical proportions. People worried that it was the swine flu, and it might have been, but he got better instead of worse. Albeit it said, as he was pouring out his life and losing 7 lbs, (3 kilos for the metric bunch) we were thankful to have indoor plumbing!

Now he’s better and trying NOT to find the 7 lbs again, but I’m sure they’re going to find him as he is eating again... And that reminds me of a little story.

Years ago, I was a young missionary in Japan. I was there to save the world, and maybe just a tad filled with myself. One night I went alone to the evening service at church. Tony must have had a meeting somewhere or was at home with the kids, I don’t remember.

Anyway, I was sitting there, the only foreigner in the service. The text for the message was Matthew, where the lady is pouring out perfume on the Master’s feet.

Pastor Noguchi read the passage and then talked a few minutes about the woman, the cost of the perfume, etc. You’ve heard this sermon before. Then he took an interesting turn and said, “Look at our missionaries”. I was glad I was paying attention as all eyes focused on me.

He continued. “They are obviously leaders back home where they come from. They are talented and intelligent. They would have to have drive and ambition or they wouldn’t have made it this far,” he continued. I sat up in my seat and beamed with pride. Then he said, somewhat to my surprise...

“And they get here, and what? They study the language for a very long time, and all they can achieve is to talk like 6 yr olds. They never really understand us, and they are bumbling around lost most of the time”. (I shrank in my seat as my face turned red. I knew he was right) There was some murmuring and nodding in agreement. Noguchi went on, “Sometimes we might be tempted to just thank these folks, and kindly suggest that they go back home where they can do some real work; where they will be comfortable and can really use their skills?” After a brief pause, before everyone started voting us off the island, he picked up his Bible and read the words of Jesus, this time in SIMPLE ENGLISH. “Forbid her not, for what she does is a fine and beautiful thing”.

“Don’t you see?” he said to the congregation. “Missionaries all over the world are pouring out their LIVES at the feet of Jesus... for whatever it’s worth, what they are doing is a Fine and Beautiful thing!”

That was a turning point in my life when I realized I’ll never be Japanese (or Thai). I will never speak any language like a native, including American English, which seems like such a long time ago, and Australian, which my Aussie brothers and sisters insist IS English. But like it or not, my life IS being poured out, as the wrinkles on my face confirm. What a comfort to think that Jesus might give me a squeeze and say, “Good on ya, Marsha!”

In all truth, it’s not much of a sacrifice to love these people, and if that’s part of what “pouring out” means, then I can’t complain. I guess the bottom line is simply this: our lives are running out, at least the part associated with our mortal bodies. The question is not, “How can I plug the leak?” but, “How can my pouring out make a difference to the Kingdom?”

May your pouring be a good one, and may it be said that it was indeed a fine and beautiful thing.

Love ya, Marsha

When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.

(Matthew 26:12 – 13)


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