We’re 2 days before Good Friday, the day of the crucifixion of Christ. In the book of Matthew, Jesus just finished teaching the disciples many things through many parables. We’re going to take a look at what happened in the house of Simon the leper, right after these teachings and before he would bear the cross for us.
This story is found in Matthew 26, verses 6-13. A woman with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment proceeds to pour it on Jesus’s head. She was honoring Jesus with a great gift. Soon to be spoken of by Jesus, she notably encouraged him!
We can look at this in a practical sense, as did the disciples. This perfume could have been sold to help support the poor. It was seemingly an inefficient use of very expensive perfume, yet Jesus leads them to the correct interpretation as to what the act truly means. “10…she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”
Jesus can lead us in many ways. Sometimes it’s a way we or others around us don’t fully understand. This woman felt like she needed to spend a great treasure to honor Jesus. She didn’t expect a return on her investment and she didn’t expect approval of all. She chose to honor her Lord in a surprising (to the disciples) way of selfless love and devotion.
Jesus was on the path to the cross to commit to the greatest sacrifice the world has ever known and was moved significantly by a woman of great faith and devotion to him.
When we give our lives to Christ because we believe in his sacrifice and his resurrection, he is moved significantly! She had the amazing opportunity to honor the Lord Jesus in his physical body on the earth but we have the amazing opportunity to honor the Lord Jesus everyday with our faith and devotion to him.
This doesn’t mean Jesus requires some great act of selfless love similar to that in this story every single day. He wants you to believe in him, to trust in him, and to truly love him in your heart every single day. That’s what selfless love is all about! It’s not about me, it’s about him! Laying down our life for his is our return on his great investment in us. Last I checked, everlasting life is a far better return than any financial plan has to offer.
Prayer for today:
Jesus, thank you for the great sacrifice you made for us and the great victory you secured for us. I choose you Lord Jesus over all other things; I make you first in my life. I choose to honor and love you with my actions, my words, my thoughts, and my life so that others around me will see you through me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!
Written by Marcus Bachtold