The Thief

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclined at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil-pure and expensive nard-anointed Jesus' feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, "why wasn't this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?" He didn't say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money bag and would steal part of what was put in it. Jesus answered, "leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." John 12:1-8

Two extreme attitudes are displayed here. Mary was so grateful for Jesus' raising her brother from the dead. She already had Jesus' friendship but now He was Lord and master over all, even death, her love and appreciation was evident.

Judas had walked with Jesus, been empowered by Jesus to go out and minister and see healings himself, however he was crooked inside, he stole from the lord of heaven.

The crooked are those that propound the legal, they like to appear right and are often self-righteous, in a warped way.

The story brings to mind three people from my past. When I was first born again I attended a large and growing church in Wollongong. There came a time when the leadership were gravely concerned about the offering money, it seem to be out and something was wrong. It was proposed that they monitor those counting the offering and it was done by cameras. It was discovered, much to their horror, that the head man in charge of the money was stealing right there in the midst of others. He was quickly and stealthily putting money up his sleeves. This man had been well liked and trusted by the pastor and it came as a severe blow to him.

The second was a man my husband had taken into his employment. We had gone overseas because of an ill mother and did not know how long we would be away. We left a man in charge, a friend. So that he could make ends meet he took what was not his, instead of making his own money he left us with a mortgage not paid for several months. He saw nothing wrong with his behaviour.

The third was a woman who I knew from my nursing days. It was found that drugs were missing from a drug cupboard in the unit where I worked. An investigation showed that the thief was a self-righteous woman who was quite nasty and difficult to deal with. She had a sour disposition, nothing was ever good enough and she was on the night shift. I would have to report on the status of the patients to her, she always gave me a hard time.

Remember the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy and uses anyone willing.