What is your place of rest? Who are those safe and trustworthy people who love you?
Bethany means “House of Figs,” a place of peace, prosperity, and rest represented by figs. Fig trees were frequently used in Israel as a place of rest under the shade of the tree to reflect, meditate, and seek wisdom.
This small village of Bethany is considered a suburb of Jerusalem, and it was home to a family much loved by Jesus—the siblings Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Lazarus was the one whom Jesus had resurrected after four days of death. We know that this family was very loved by Jesus in this account of Lazarus’s death, when Jesus weeps upon learning of it, and the people can see in Jesus how much they loved him (John 11:1-44). We can also look at other biblical accounts where we see Jesus visiting Martha and Mary and teaching them (Luke 10:38-42). We also read how he used to stay in Bethany when he was near Jerusalem (Matthew 21:17).
Bethany was a place that exemplified its full significance for Jesus—a place of rest, prosperity, and abundant fruit. This is also demonstrated when Jesus once left Bethany and saw a leafy fig tree in the distance (Mark 11:12-14). He was hungry, so he approached it, but when he got closer, the fig tree had no fruit, and Jesus, frustrated and disappointed, ended up cursing it.
For Jesus, this fig tree represented those people with great appearance, but no fruit. Jesus saw many people like this in Israel. But in Bethany—the house of figs—he found a family with fruit worthy of repentance and sincere love for him.
I can imagine Jesus’ frustration upon coming from such a fruitful place as Bethany and then finding this fig tree, which looked very good, but was completely useless to him because it didn’t bear a single piece of fruit.
Have you ever been around people who seem very good, but the closer you get, the more you realize they have no positive contribution to your life? That’s the barren fig tree that has good looks, but no fruit. Certainly, these are not the people we should be approaching, because we will continue to hunger, be deceived, and hurt by their falsehood.
Just before being crucified, Jesus decided to make one last stop at his resting place and visit his beloved friends. They were the ones who reciprocated Jesus’ unconditional love, served him in truth, and were even willing to give up everything for him. This family was Jesus’ place of refuge and support in his darkest hour, when he knew he was days away from being crucified.
It was during that visit that Mary washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair—an extreme act of service usually performed by servants or slaves. It was also she who anointed his feet with expensive perfume—spending a year’s wages on it (John 12:1-8). Jesus hadn’t yet announced his death, but then he declares Mary’s act as one that prepared him for burial. Mary was being prophetically moved with this gesture. Surely, Mary trusted in the resurrection power she had already seen in her brother Lazarus.
With all this, Jesus shows us the importance of having healthy people who love and support us unconditionally. These people become Bethany for us—a place of soul prosperity, blessing, spiritual fruitfulness, and rest that we can always turn to. If Jesus—the almighty God—needed this and was blessed by this kind of relationship, how much more do we need it?
Perhaps our focus should be on how we can be Bethany for others. Perhaps, if we keep that sense of hospitality, trust, sincere love and service, then we will be visited by Jesus always and see His glory manifested in our lives. Perhaps, if many more of us grow and are taught in that same culture, we can foster the reciprocity of these values ​​and create much safer, healthier, and more lasting fraternal communities.
Don’t believe the lie that you can do it alone and that you don’t need anyone. Let’s not fool ourselves! No matter how important and experienced in life—or in ministry—the enemy has made you think you are. At some point, we will all have our turn to carry our own cross!
We will not be the exception at times when those from Bethany are needed. Just like Jesus, when you know your time is approaching, in those from Bethany you will find strength to move you to do God’s will and endearing friends who can prophetically point you toward it.
