One other memory sticks in my head. Ah, yes it is the famous words of my mom, “save the bows, save the ribbon, and if the paper can be saved, save it too!” The same sentence was echoed at birthdays with a little add on…“save the boxes.” You know, the ones the blouses and sweaters came in.

“Waste not, want not” was a reoccurring theme in my family. Thinking this way has its virtues.

Jesus fed over 5000 people one day, miraculously dividing up a little boy’s lunch. As the crowd left Jesus told his friends, “gather up what remains, that nothing be wasted!” John 6:12 Randy has a revelation that more than likely Jesus ended up sending that boy home with a really great “doggy-bag.”

I am sure you will agree that in our world today, there is a lot of waste!

Restaurant dumps are loaded with leftovers. Trash trucks come weekly to pick up what we consider “waste”. In China, we daily watched the poor forage the dumpsters for paper to burn or items that might still be usable.

So, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps too, waste is measured by who is wasting what on whom.

Which brings me to the meat of my reflection….

One day, not long before Jesus was to be crucified, he met with his friends at Lazarus’ house. Martha showed her love for Jesus by making a great meal. Mary’s love caused her to do something really extravagant! She took a very precious bottle of perfume and poured it out on Jesus’ feet! If you use your imagination just a little bit you can see that feet got really dirty and probably smelly from walking about on unpaved roads. Mary’s “waste” sure must have
touched Jesus’ heart, as well as His feet!

Now, Judas became indignant. “What a waste, this oil could have been sold to feed the poor,” he complained. Funny thing, Jesus never chided Mary for that “waste”.

So, there is a Wasting that is good!!!

Yes, reckless, abandoned, passionate love for Jesus demonstrated by spending unhurried time with Him is good! It’s great! It is the right way to be wasteful!!!

If you read on in the Gospel of John chapter twelve, you will notice that the fragrance of Mary’s wasteful love filled the whole house. Do you want your house to be filled with the fragrance that comes from worshiping and loving Jesus?

Save the ribbon and the bows if you want to, but waste time with Jesus this Christmas season and ALL year round. Throw your self out into His arms and get lost in His presence. Watch how you’ll change and how your wasting time on Jesus will affect others!

I have a new family saying; waste (time with Jesus) and want not! In spending time with Him ALL our needs are met, all our desires are fulfilled, and all our hopes and dreams are anchored by our faith in His love for us.