Costly praise

Costly praise

by General John Larsson (Retired)

STUDY PASSAGE: MATTHEW 21:6–11

SOMETIMES when we look at a Bible narrative it is a small detail that can catch the eye. In the story of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday there is a notable example of this.

We know the scene. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey he was met by a large crowd that praised God, shouting: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ (v9 all quotations from New International Version).

Here is the small detail. We read that some in the crowd ‘spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road’ (v8). We are so familiar with the story that it is easy to miss the small detail that praise was offered in two different ways.

Those who cut branches from the palm trees and spread them on the road did their praising on the cheap. The trees were not theirs, and cutting off a few branches was no problem to them. Praising the Lord cost them nothing.

But for those who spread their own cloaks on the road it was a different story. Their robes would be trodden on not only by the donkey and the colt, but also would be trampled on by the crowd that followed. At the very least the cloaks would be dirtied and might even be torn. This was praise at a price – it was costly praise.

I think that Jesus would have noticed the difference. He had an eye for costly praise, for costly devotion.

Just the previous evening, when he was dining in Bethany, a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town brought an alabaster jar of perfume and poured the perfume over him. ‘Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me… Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Mark 14:4–9).

Jesus honoured her costly devotion. The critics thought it a waste of money. But not Jesus. He knew the power of deep devotion, and called what she had done a beautiful thing. He honoured her costly thanksgiving and praise. And the next day, as he entered into Jerusalem, he would have known the difference between those who cut off palm branches from the trees and those who were prepared to lay their robes on the road.

It has always been so. Jesus honours devotion and praise that are costly. The world may say, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they did to the early Christian martyrs when they prepared to die rather than give up their faith.

The critics may say, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they did to Father Damien, when that brilliant young Belgian priest announced that he would be devoting his life to serving the needs of people with leprosy on a remote Pacific island.

And some may ask, ‘Why this waste?’ – as they asked young Samuel Brengle, when he abandoned the prospect of a glittering ecclesiastical career to join with the early-day Salvation Army. But not Jesus. He understood the meaning of costly devotion and knew that what each was doing was a beautiful thing.

It is still so today. I once preached about costly praise on a Palm Sunday, using as my text this difference between praising the Lord with a branch or a robe. Many years later a woman Salvationist said to me: ‘I was a visitor in your meeting that Sunday. My own corps officer had just asked me to take over the youth group. I didn’t want to do it. I enjoyed simply coming to the meetings on Sunday and worshiping and praising the Lord. But when I heard that message I knew that my praise was costing me nothing, and that the Lord wanted more from me. So I said yes to the request – I placed my cloak in the road, and took over the running of the youth group.’

I have no doubt that, as her praise became costly, it became a beautiful thing in the eyes of the Lord.

What kind of praise will we be offering to the Lord this Palm Sunday?