Response to our past is key to our future.

A Prodigal, a reformed harlot, and a healed lunatic.

What do they have in common?

Where is the common thread that would seemingly weave these
 three together?

How do their lives compare to each other?

Lets begin with the prodigal...He was grateful...eventually...
He had to go through a lot of loss until he reached
 a state of humility and gratefulness. His humility touched His
 fathers heart...... His brothers little soul, on the other hand, earned
 a gentle yet prodding reminder to be thankful.

Mary of Bethany...she also was grateful...the master had raised
 her
 brother from the dead....she had a jar of expensive perfume....
.earned
from a years worth of work that she had been delivered from.....
She had
 been LISTENING to his words and had the revelation of his
 impeding

 death.....she had an epiphany...a light bulb moment....that is what
 I can
 do with it.....prepare him for his burial.

But with humility of heart was her choice of method...She could
 have
 arrogantly walked in and announced her act of worship for all to
 see
...anointing His hands....or his head where the crown would dig into
 his flesh...
Why the feet?

low to the ground...
no one would see...
private act of worship to her king....
But how can you ignore that kind of love? that belief...the revelation?
the smell was strong and everyone noticed....even the thief among
 them who
 would later criticize her extravagance...

Her past was used for good....she did not deny the Master what was
 on her heart
 for fear of her past shame...
Don't we do this though....leave out parts or all of our testimony for
 fear of shame?

The enemy knows the strength of our past for soul winning...It is a
 mighty tool..
No matter what your past consists of...perfect church kid who never
 swerved..
.that is a testimony...You do not have to have a story to be effective
...somehow the
 enemy will even try to bring shame to this...

But he is only a thief not really interested in any thing but stealing.
not interested in protecting your honor,
or your family's honor....
just stealing....

....blessings
.....jewels in your crown
.....souls from the kingdom
.....your spiritual growth

Why his feet.?
Wasn't it the dirtiest place...
Take a shower, then walk to the mailbox.  You are still clean..all that
is dirty is your feet.
sandals...open toes....this is why Christ washed the disciple's feet...
to show in
 this world we will pick up dust...attitudes....spirits...We are clean,
 still saved...
 except our feet.....Jesus showed us to bear one another burdens and
 clean those
 feet.....Pray for the attitudes you see in your sister or brother....serve
 them.

The lunatic was a man with pain. A man who lived to learn with pain
 in an
 inhumane way. We do not know the events which led to his exile
 and madness.
 It could have been the madness that led to his exile. All we know is
 that Jesus
 pitied him and set him free. He now had a past and a powerful testimony
. Jesus
 knew of the power and instructed him to keep quiet....but how does
one silence
 fire down in your bones? How does one quench a flame that burns
 but doesn't
 consume? Christ did not want his identity to be fully known yet..it
 was not time.
 He would be spread thin. He had a greater work in front of Him.
 His Spirit had
to be released on this earth to be able to accomplish more through
 us, His vessels.
His death was the only way to accomplish this.

So also will the good try and come in and steal the best from
happening in our lives.

The good of the prodigals fall to humility could have kept (the best)
 him from humbling himself
 further to seek restoration. But this is why He came....
 to restore!

The good of the harlot's deliverance could have hindered (the best) her
 from seeking restitution
 for the earnings of her past sins. Yet, think of the awesome
 account of her actions that
 we would never hear about, had she not acted on her whim.

The good of the lunatics deliverance could have hindered (the best) the
 way of our Saviors death,
 had the man not listened and told everyone who needed the same. Our Lord
would have been
overwhelmed with healing them., missing the Passover and
 His opportunity to grow
 His Fathers kingdom.

By not learning from their past and seeking out their salvation
 with fear and trembling,
 we could have had much different accounts of these people's
 lives. I am grateful they
 allowed their pasts to be used for His glory instead of hiding

 in shame. We all have a perfect timing to share our past and testimony.
Christ did not tell the lunatic to NEVER share. He only said WAIT.
 Listen to the Lord as He will instruct you to when these times are.

We all have an opportunity to be transparent. To allow our
 past to be used for His
 glory. Or we can allow the enemy called pride to steal our
 reward in heaven.
It really is your choice.

linking with....
Faith Filled friday