Poured Out
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’”
Today’s Text: Matthew 26:1-13 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
Were the disciples really indignant because of their compassion and concern for the poor? Our Lord certainly has much more compassion and concern for the poor than any of them did or any of us do.
The issue with the disciples in this episode is not that they questioned the appropriateness of the woman’s offering. But we have to ask, why were they so indignant about it?
Even if they disagreed with how the woman chose to offer her own perfume, why would they feel the need to publicly shame her in the way that they did?
Maybe they felt that her public display of lavishness required an equally public display of shaming. But if her action was that shame-worthy, her actions would have condemned themselves. And so Jesus returned their public shaming right back at them.
Maybe they were trying to express what they believed to be the most important as children of God—that is, acts of mercy to the poor. Again, Jesus has more compassion for the poor than any of us, and He knows them intimately, whereas we probably do not know any of them at all.
Like many (or most?) people, when we have convictions about what we believe to be the most important as children of God, we try to impose those convictions on everyone else. And so, in ministry settings, we will try to make everyone else prioritize the available resources around our convictions.
Some will believe that acts of mercy are most important; some will believe that evangelism or missions are most important; some will believe that discipleship is most important; some will be believe that fellowship is most important; others will believe that worship is most important.
The truth is, they are all equally important, and we must not be stingy with our resources in any of those areas.
The critical lesson for us from this episode is found in the devotion that the woman demonstrated toward Christ Himself. It’s all about Christ, and Him crucified, resurrected, and returning.
Father, You have given us our lives. You give us each and every breath. You are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. Sometimes I may calculate my offerings based on my own values and priorities. Forgive me. Because You have given me everything. Thank You. Teach me to be lavish and extravagant with all of myself, that I may be like that perfume poured out for You. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
