What You Complain About Says More About You…

When Mary dumped expensive perfume all over Jesus’ feet, Judas popped a cork.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

He fumed, “Why wasn’t this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces.” (John 12.4 MSG)

He didn’t think it was appropriate—this isn’t how things are supposed to be done.

He critiqued Mary. He complained about her expression of worship.

He said it was wrong.

Here’s the deal…

What you complain about says more about you than it does about the thing you’re complaining about.

Later in John chapter 12, we discover that Judas wasn’t concerned about the poor.

That was just a smokescreen.

His real issue? Judas was the treasurer, and he was a thief.

His complaint wasn’t about the expression of worship or who was being overlooked.

He was mad about what he wasn’t getting.

Of course Judas couldn’t say what he really meant.

Most people don’t say what they really mean when they’re complaining.

We couldn’t ever say: “Gimme what I want. I’m the most important person in the room. Gimme—right now or I will make life miserable for you.”

When complaining, we usually make the issue about someone else.

We say things like, “This isn’t real worship. This isn’t how things are supposed to be done.”

We say, “It’s too loud, too quiet, too bright, too dark, too wordy, too simple, too new, too old…”

Maybe what we really mean is: “Gimme what I want. I’m the most important person in the room. Gimme—right now or I will make life miserable for you.”

Let’s be like Mary—focused on selflessly lifting Jesus up, and not like Judas—selfishly tearing people and things down.