Darlene Rose

 Matthew 26: 6-11  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste?

“For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.

“For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.”

Spending so much of our time and resources on Jesus looks, to the world and even the religious community as waste, for THEY see the value that is in a human life.   “Why should human life be wasted upon Jesus when he died and now there is much work to do?    Wouldnt even Jesus want you to feed the poor,  minister to the sick,  and sit with the lonely?”

I have been reading much and learning much about precious oils, and their medicinal value.   These oils can take up 30 years to produce,  or thousands of pounds of flowers before one ounce is extracted.   This is what is so costly and valuable about perfumes and medicines.     This is why the disciples were upset that it was wasted on the feet of Jesus.  It could have been sold to give to the poor.

I could do the same.  I could get educated and read all about the oils, run down to the Health Food Store and put a few together and sell them for our food pantry’s ministry to the poor (which I am not saying this is out of the question, but that is not the point).

The Lord is looking for our hearts.

Will I take what I have come to love, and waste it at His feet?   What is valuable to me?   Will I waste it at His feet?

Is my past valuable?   Will I waste it at His feet?

The world knows the value inside each one of us.    Once this value has been established,  what will we do with the jewel we have?

Or better yet – what will we do with the Jewel given us by the Father?   What will we do with Jesus today?

Father I offer my heart to You this day as You offer Christ to me daily.   What will I do with Him today?   Jesus is the Precious Ointment that flows from the Head down the heads of priests and to the outer garments and by their feet.   Jesus is the Precious Ointment whose saturation upon us is the fragrance of Your love, and for whom we waste our lives upon.    Teach us Lord, not HOW to waste ourselves, for the Precious Oil Himself has already been given….   But teach us how to remain broken in humility,  that the OIL would freely and extravagantly and continuously flow.   Amen.