Surprise Someone With Joy This Week
“A woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table. But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.’ ”
- Matthew 26:7-10
Dear Church Family,
Sunday mornings at St. Andrew's are a busy place. A lot happens before our 10:00 AM worship begins. Let me share a bit about what you might miss if you aren't here early.
Shortly before 8:00 AM cars start to pull into the parking lot. Our organist and sound tech are usually first on the scene. Next Emily, our Sunday Custodian, and I make our way into the office to begin printing materials, setting up tables, etc. Then the band begins to make their way in to set up for rehearsal. Around 8:45 choir members start to arrive and choir rehearsal begins at 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Somewhere in there, our Coffee Team begins the most important part of the day: brewing our coffee! And 10 minutes later, I usually grab a cup.
Our Sunday School workers set up classrooms, greeters take their spots, candle checkers check the candles, and so on. (I'm sure I've forgotten someone, but that's just my bad memory. Your work is also incredibly important!)
You see, it takes a lot of energy and effort to create the space in worship for us to pause in our week and tune in to what God is doing among us. And it's a beautiful thing. It is the body of Christ in action.
Last Sunday, in the middle of all that activity, somebody left an insulated coffee mug on the pew where I sit. I probably walked by it ten different times not paying too much attention. But once the service started, I realized it was still there, and I knew it wasn't mine. So, I picked it up. And there on the front was a beautiful drum set and the words "Pastor Karl."
It was mine after all! An anonymous gift that both touched and surprised me.
The more I've thought about it - and drunk coffee from it this week - the more I have realized how wonderful surprise gifts are. They mean that someone was thinking of you without you knowing about it. It means that someone said, "I'll bet they would love this," because they know who you are. And it conveys that they wanted to bring some kindness and light into your life.
It also made me think about the story from Matthew's gospel above. Jesus receives the surprise gift of anointing, which in those days, was a wonderful gift. This woman gave, not out of her abundance, but out of her love and devotion to Jesus. She did something that Jesus recognized as "beautiful." And he let the joy of that gift fall upon him.
My deep thanks to whomever it was that shared this gift with me on Sunday.
Even more so, I want to encourage everyone to surprise someone with joy this week. There is enough heaviness in the world right now—way too much division and far too many struggles weighing on our hearts. Think about someone you know who could use a little joy, and surprise them with kindness. As Jesus said, "let your light shine before others." (Matthew 5:16)
With God's Peace,
Pastor Karl
