I’m not a wealthy woman. I’m not an educated woman.
I’m not looked upon favorably by those in upper society. But when a man speaks
the truth, I understand. This man Jesus speaks the truth. The first time I
heard him teach, I knew he was special. Whenever He opened His mouth, it seemed
the words of our Fathers came alive. Surely this man was the fulfillment of the
Holy Scriptures. At long last, our Messiah had arrived.
In my heart I longed to bestow a very special gift
on Him. But what gift could I give such a man? I was willing to sacrifice
anything to give a special gift to the Master. I prayed to the Almighty and
waited for an answer. As soon as I had my answer, I gathered all my worldly
goods and hurried to market to sell them. Each item I sold brought the top
price. Soon my purse held more money than I’d ever seen. Willingly, gladly, I
gave the shopkeeper every denarius. In return, he handed me a beautiful
alabaster flask. I ran my hands over its curves, knowing I would soon break it
open, releasing the oil and fragrance inside. This would be my gift for the
Messiah.
Carefully I hid the flask in the folds of my cloak,
lest any thief might spy it and take it from me. I rushed down the crowded,
dusty streets, hurrying to the house where Jesus and his disciples ate. It wasn’t my place to interrupt their meal,
but the urgency in my heart made me bold. When I entered the house, the men
were at the table. Before I could lose my courage, I went straight to Jesus’
side. I broke open the lovely vase and poured the most fragrant oil on his
head. Surely, I was most privileged to be allowed to anoint the Master.
Some of the men grumbled, as I knew they would, but
God had allowed me to anoint our Messiah. No matter what those men might have
said or done, I received such a special gift when I was allowed to anoint my
King.
Food for thought: What treasures have you stored in
your alabaster jar? Are you willing to break it open as a gift to pour out for
Jesus? Would you be willing to sell all you own to honor Jesus?
Matthew 26: 12 "When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial."
