Pastor's Corner
|
Archive |
WASTED OINTMENT?
Mark 14:3-9 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
The wife of Thomas Carlyle (a British historian) wrote in her diary of her hunger for a word of appreciation and love from her husband. After her death, Carlyle read the diary and with a broken heart, repeated over and over, “If I had only known! If I had only known!”
That’s the way it is sometimes… if we had only known and been aware of the value of the hidden things of God’s economy.
This precious perfume was poured out by a willing heart and it wasn’t wasted! The question: Would it have been “wasted” if she had used it on the body of her brother, Lazarus? She never got that opportunity, because a miracle had walked into her life and have caused her to save the perfume for another day… a much more important day.
If you really read into this story – She didn’t waste the perfume on the dead but she allowed it to anoint the living. This is what life is really about… Allowing what God’s given to you to be consumed upon others.
The Horror of Hoarding
Over the years, I’ve discovered that there’s a purpose for everything in life and the greatest waste in life comes from hoarding things; keeping them from their intended use in life. The perfume in this woman’s hands would’ve been wasted had it not been used. Some things we hang on to and hoard are a waste.
• Some people hang onto bitterness when they ought to let go and they suffer for it.
• Some hoard up anger when they ought to release forgiveness.
• Some hang onto jealousy when they should be content in life.
• Some store up grudges – some hang onto old wounds – some never forget their mistakes…
(All of these things are a waste)
If this woman would’ve hoarded this perfume, it would’ve never become a memorial before God.
It’s only when we really pour out the things that have value to us that God can use us as He sees fit.
Mary had to break open the alabaster box. Just as we have to break some things in our own lives before they will give any honor and have real value before God.
This perfume cost her a single year’s work. Maybe her life’s savings was wrapped up in this little bottle. But she was offering more than just perfume, she was giving of her heart; of her worship. Christian, you may not always have the opportunity to express your love for God. When you have the opportunity, what will you do?
• Did Mary really understand her actions on that day?
• Did she understand what her heart was feeling on that day?
• Did she really know that she was stepping into immortality without that single act?
I doubt that she really knew. . . .She simply was responding to a much deeper call. A call that knew that there was some good work in wasted ointment.