Matthew 26:6-13
The Poor Among Us
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Jesus two thousand years ago said the poor you will always have with you...This is an interesting statement and prediction to say...And He did not say this statement in an emotionally charged way or with any apathy...He seems to have said it in a matter of fact type way...And, of course, His words ring true...Today, two thousand years later, the poor are among us...
Jesus made this statement in the context that He was soon going to leave and go back to heaven...He told His Disciples you will not always have Me...The poor may include those depressed and in despair...It seems Jesus makes this statement about the poor, and that He is saying I AM leaving, yet He will always be near...The Disciples and His immediate followers would lose His personal physical closeness and He would be in heaven...The Disciples saw and met with Him after His death and resurrection...
We will always have Jesus near, and we will always have the poor, the depressed, and those in despair...His Word is Right...Two thousand years later we still have the poor among us and He is still among us...