1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2“As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Mana will be handed over to be crucified.”
3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7While he was eating,b a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Now, many of us have heard this preached. This preacher took a different angle. A more personal angle.
He compared our lives to the fragrance inside that jar. Until the jar was broken, you couldn't smell it. You couldn't appreciate the beauty and the depth that was there.
How often at church do we say hi. Ask how we are doing. But how often do we TRULY mean it? We compliment each other. Nice dress, pretty hair, powerful suit. But do anything of those things matter? So many times we don't want to make OURSELVES uncomfortable and truly reach out to others. Break ourselves for the sake of another person. Even if it is just as simple as telling another you are praying for them. Sitting quietly by in your little comfort zone while you fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are hurting wrong. It is being lukewarm. It is not allowing yourself to truly be broken for the cause of Christ. And it is not just for our brethren. But unbelievers. We are to show love. And this is a first step.
Next time you ask how someone is doing, don't do so while walking away. Look them in the eye. Mean it. You may be the only person that does.
We never know the battle that another person may be facing. And NEVER assume other people have reached out. I found out that a lot of people were praying for me. And I mean a lot. I was stunned. I had no idea. No one had told me. I mean I had family member and some friends and people that are going through similar circumstances. I have actually felt quite alone. But now I see I wasn't. And that REALLY matters.
ANY kind of battle, whether physical, mental, spiritual, marital, family, etc has a habit of making you feel isolated and alone. So there is a need for others to reach out. And yes, that can require a sacrifice on our part at times. But it is really worth it.
Breaking ourselves before God can a lasting legacy. Look at the story of Mary.
