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We all know that lockdown means many of us are ordering online and waiting for the delivery. Considering the restrictions of lockdown last Saturday really felt quite exciting; I had 3 separate deliveries on the same day. In the morning a new printer arrived. My old one hadn't been working for some time and really I do need to use one on a reasonably regular basis. My wife hid in the kitchen while I engaged in the 'easy to install' operation. Despite a false start, suddenly all became clear and the printer is working beautifully. Come the afternoon a new book was delivered and I'm currently enjoying reading that. Then in the evening and for the first time in 52 years of marriage we had the delivery of an Indian meal. Having eaten it I sat own to reflect on how much I had enjoyed these 3 deliveries - almost beginning to feel a bit like Christmas. I realised I could get used to this and started to wonder what else I could order and then enjoy the excitement of having it delivered especially when a great deal else isn't happening at the present time. It was my wife who reminded me of the dangers of sitting in front of the screen and thinking, 'I want that'. Indeed, she informed me that she'd heard of people sitting at home, having a little too much to drink and then with reduced inhibitions ordering all sorts of stuff that then took them into debt. Certainly I realised how quickly one could waste money by over ordering on the internet.
Is it ever right to waste money?
In a sense Jesus said it is. I turned to Matthew's gospel and read the story of the woman who anointed the head of Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper. The disciples are highly indignant, 'Why this waste?' they complain and suggest that the money for the perfume could have been given to the poor. There are two interesting observations here. One is that this story is immediately followed by the account of Judas going to the High Priests and receiving 30 silver pieces in blood money to betray Jesus. Was he one of the disciples who complained about the waste? How easily we can complain about others wasting their money. The other observation is that some of us are for historical reasons particularly sensitive about remembering the poor and we know from the Bible that all of us should have a concern for those in need. But Jesus certainly doesn't condemn the waste of money - far from it. Indeed he talks about the beautiful thing that the woman has done to him with the perfume. It's an event that will always be told in memory of this woman, is what Jesus says, and here I am telling it again 2000 or so years later.
We don't waste money if Jesus is our focus, in fact we can do something beautiful with it, for it's an act of worship to him. In lockdown some of us are feeling worse off or even much worse off because our job has changed or is lost. But not all of us. Some in their usual regular work are probably better off because there has been less opportunity to spend. And the same could be said for those on fixed pensions. So I would encourage you to think that perhaps this is the time to 'waste' some of our money. Buy some Christian books that will help deepen your devotion to Jesus. Give some money to some Christian friends not because you think they need it but simply to bless them. Throw some extra money at your local church because that will be a help in supporting the ministry of the church to make Christ known. Go on, waste some money.
And do remember the poor.