The Importance of Really Reading Scripture

You know the story about the woman pouring expensive oil/ointment over Jesus' feet? It is found in Matthew 25.

6Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? 9For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor." 10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."

Anyways, I was reading this passage and I was struck by an difference between my memory and scripture. My remembrance of this passage is that Judas complained about it since he was the treasurer of the group. But this passage makes it clear that it was just Judas who complained, but that all the disciples were indignant and complained about it. This is what is says in verse eight:

And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? 9For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."

Really spoke to me this morning about the importance of really knowing God's word. Speaks to how easy it is for people to convey mis-truths about the word of God. Helps me to have compassion for those who mis-speak, and points to the importance of telling them where they diverge from Scripture. Sometimes it's easy, such as the case above, but sometimes it's not so easy. :)

I have to admit, this is an area where I rely on my hubbie a fair bit. Often I hear something and I think...hold on, that doesn't sound right, but I'm often not exactly sure why. So I'll bounce it off of him, and through that conversation I am better enabled to figure out why it didn't sound right, and if it was just me not quite getting the point being made, or if indeed it was wrong. And if it was wrong, I'm more equipped to say so the next time I hear such a thing. And otherwise I have just learned something new. :)

Anyways, just an encouragement to continue, when you read stories, illustrations in Scripture, even if they are really familiar.... really read them. Make sure you know what is in them. Keep your mind and heart open to the things that God wants to teach you.