When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. “That’s criminal! This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor.” When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. “Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.” {Matthew 26:6-12 Message}
I read this today. Many of us in the church might have. (It’s in our new “Pursue Journal”)
As I read this, I had some pieces really jump out at me. Maybe it’s just hitting me where I am.
This girl comes up with something really expensive, and she probably saved up for it forever. The disciples were angry with what she does with the perfume because apparently it could help the poor. She took what was close to her life savings, and she dumps it on Jesus.
How Foolish.
She could have done something more with it. Something WAY more logical! Something that any man would have thought to do.
But she dumps it on Jesus, wether or not she was going to regret it. Wether or not it was logical. Wether or not she could have done so much with it. Without even a word of Jesus telling her to do it, she comes and dumps her perfume on Jesus. Without a word (that we know) spoken to her.
After the disciples get angry, Jesus interjects.
“Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me.”
She has done something wonderfully significant for me. Wow. Significant? Really? How is that significant? It’s really smelly for sure! How could this be significant to you O LORD? How can you be pleased with such FOOLISHNESS?
“You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial.”
Hold on… What this lady did, was go up to Jesus and basically say: “YOU’RE DEAD TO ME.” She anointed him for burial. Again, Jesus did not say to do this. she just did it. Wow. And He takes it as a compliment. WHY.
In Fact. Jesus is Pleased. Jesus, who is God, is pleased. What is it that pleases the Lord?
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” {Hebrews 11:6 NIV}
SHE HAD FAITH. That he was the one to die. For her. She just knew. No one told her, She just believed.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” {Hebrews 11:1 NIV}
She hoped he would die. Because she knew (I bet.) that he would rise again. She knew he was the messiah. She was Certain. Not logical. She was certain. She was deemed foolish by the on lookers. But she was deemed admired by God. She did something wonderfully significant for the Lord. Based on her faith.
Such a beautiful display of faith.
Such a beautiful woman.
I pray that I can do something wonderfully significant for the Lord. That I may do something out my faith that even when others don’t understand, it would only portray Christ’s promise to us. That he has risen and that he is coming. I pray that I can please the Lord.
Do you smell that?
