Luke 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Much has been taught about the cost of the ointment. It is taught in sermons on sacrifice of service. While I understand the point being made I cannot help but look to the tears. She obviously felt deeply for Christ, her love was applauded by Jesus Himself a few verses later.

Why is service so often linked to sacrifice? We give of our time, talents and money in service. Why is it important for some to look at it as sacrifice? In my heart I do not believe this woman gave one thought of the cost of the ointment as she wept for Jesus. In my heart I feel that He was the total focus of her affection, nothing else mattered.

We serve because there is a need. We serve because there is an opportunity. We serve because no one else has stepped up. When we do, do we call it sacrifice? Should we think of service in this way, or should we look to our hearts and examine the true motive.

I do not know much of any other religion. In what little I have heard, I cannot remember any of those followers ever mentioning the one thing Jesus said to us.

“If you love me….”

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Here is a dictionary listing of the meanings of credence.

1. acceptance: acceptance based on the degree to which something is believable
2. trustworthiness: the power to inspire belief or trust
3. church table for bread and wine: a small shelf or table in a church where the bread, wine, and containers used for Communion are kept

I didn’t see the third one coming. I didn’t know that. I like it. Sometimes that is the way we receive things. We don’t know everything, or at least we should not act like we know everything. In the first definition, credence is given based on human capacity to accept.

The reason I quoted Romans 11:25 is because there are mysteries out there. You may gain access to those mysteries but to overcome the preconceptions you must first release the conceits of your own mind, to take your blinders off. You must rely on your own capacity to believe and not accept what everyone else wants you to believe. This scripture also warns us that it is “in part”. Not everyone will have the capacity to give credence to the truth. It will remain that way until the end of the church age, until the fullness of the Gentiles is complete. It is an individual’s responsibility to give credence.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Can you give credence to this statement? I did. So did millions of others. We are not in the majority, but it is your responsibility to examine yourself and find out if you have the capacity to believe. Giving credence is up to you.