Extravagant – When Worship Becomes LifestyleSample

A New Normal: When Our Focus is on Worshiping Him Rather Than Pleasing People

“People possession” can be a big issue, especially when it comes to areas of passion. By people possession I mean an unnecessary or unhealthy obsession with other people’s opinions about our actions, resulting in a desire on our part to try and keep them happy.

It is right that we should behave with emotional intelligence, social awareness and sensitivity. Our personal freedom should not become a snare to others, and Paul encourages us that our generosity can, at times, be demonstrated in exercising our freedom to abstain. However, if keeping everyone happy is at the forefront of our minds, then extravagance will never see the light of day.

When I fell in love with my wife, Dawn, I noticed that I became less bothered with people’s opinions of how I behaved toward her, and more consumed with pleasing her and doing the things she liked. Of course I took advice and behaved appropriately, especially in the context of Bible College, where we enjoyed the first nine months of our relationship, but if I walked into a room where she was, she became the center of my attention – and she still is!

Part of the demonstration of my love for her was a growing preoccupation with her feelings and needs, and a shrinking concern for what other people thought. Today I want my children to see how much I love her. I want my world to know she is my queen, and I want her to know that, apart from the Lord Himself, she is the most important person in my universe! What may look extravagant to others has become my normal.

Had the lady in our story aimed to please Simon, she would have left town, not turned up at his house. That night she decided to step beyond the boundaries set by her own fear and press into the uncharted territory of pure worship. Her aim was not to offend anyone, so any offence experienced that night was “taken,” not given. Her eyes were on Jesus and her desire was to serve Him through her extravagance. Had she looked at Simon, Jesus would have been lost in the crowd.

If we fix our eyes on Jesus, then extravagance will become our new normal!