Infinitum Lent JourneySample

Today we consider Surrender & Me in the context of Lent.

Picking up from yesterday’s cliffhanger - who surrenders what?

Mary surrenders propriety by hanging out, as a woman, with Jesus. The intimacy implied by Mary drying Jesus’ feet with her hair explodes in stark contrast to the unwillingness of Peter to have Jesus touch his feet (see last week’s Plan 1 John 13 reading). So many cultural norms are breached here. The familiarity of a female with a male, the ‘waste’ of this potential ‘dowry’ (or was it prophetic, the corporate bride of Christ represented by Mary in this episode!) on the preparation for Jesus’ burial (also prophetic act) on a man to whom she wasn’t married, her role in discipleship, apprenticing with Jesus, and more. Mary surrenders her public reputation to her commitment to Jesus.

Lazarus surrenders safety and security by hanging out with Jesus, exposed and vulnerable to the scheming Pharisees. “The chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death” (12:10 NRSV). And the crowds who were attracted to Jesus and Lazarus also attracted the chief priests (12:9-10). The Bible is silent on what ultimately happened to Lazarus (though you can search online to find some historic speculations which include more than one bishop appointment [Marseilles and Kition!] among them).

And how about Martha? Martha served. And while this is humble, it is not somehow ‘beneath’ Christians. In fact, by Jesus’ example last week (John 13), he shows us that humble service is a noble act. Jesus provides us a model to emulate. We are to serve as Jesus serves. So, to be clear, we are not downgrading Martha’s actions here; we’re just considering the opportunity cost in this particular story.

Martha surrenders potential intimacy with Jesus (which is Mary’s testimony) and supernatural experience (Lazarus’s testimony) for the sake of duty. What she did was essential. Praise God. What she forfeited? Divine. There is no rule that the two are mutually exclusive, that we must choose duty OR spiritual intimacy and supernatural experience. Let’s not get caught up in this regrettable surrender.

We can all choose our surrender.

Which will we choose today?