Luke 8 NLT
Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (1-3)
I love to visualize what the band of Jesus looked like as they traveled from place to place. He was not alone, but some people came and went as well as His 12 disciples who were always with Him. Luke lets us know too that several ladies traveled with them. These ladies were extraordinary because they came from different places and backgrounds. Mary Magdalene had been a demon-possessed woman of ill repute whose life had changed dramatically. Then the other extreme was Joanna who was a prominent woman and married to someone from the King’s court. We also know that Jesus’ mother and others were there from time to time too.
Not only did these ladies come from extraordinarily diverse backgrounds and experience, but their lives were also beautiful testimonies of service. Luke tells us that they cared for the ragtag band of followers surrounding Jesus, and they were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. I am blown away by that statement considering the time in which they lived and the attitudes of others who came to Jesus because of what they could get from Him. Think about that; He is God and didn’t need their support but they gave it anyway. A hint of why they would do such an extraordinary thing is given to us in the context. Just before this passage, in chapter 7, we see the interaction between Jesus and the woman who washed His feet with her tears. After forgiving her sins, He says “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” (Luke 7:47)
That was the reason these ladies served tirelessly in the background and even supported everyone else from their own means. They had all been forgiven much and they loved Jesus (and others) much. This is in stark contrast to the people that I see today who are always relating to Jesus because of what He can do for them. These ladies took care of Jesus and asked for nothing in return because of what He had done for them. How often do you come to Jesus to ask Him to do something for you, and how often do you just come to Him and serve Him with no expectations in return? In truth, the Kingdom of God has progressed through the service and sacrifice of precious ladies just like this throughout history. We tend to focus on the men at the front, but it is the ones behind the scenes who really change the world. God delights to provide for us, but that provision must drive us to sacrifice for Him. In a world where everyone clamors for more from God, be the person who gives all to Him instead.
