A woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on His (Jesus’) heads as He was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
Matthew 26:7-10
“Alabaster jar of very expensive perfume”… Lord, what do you want me to see and understand?
Each person carries inside of themselves that alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. That jar contains your passion, your love, your true feelings and the tenderness of your heart. The jar is given to everyone who is born into this world. It is the natural gift of our Heavenly Father.
We pour out our perfume to our family, to our significant others, and yes, sometimes to the poor also, but these are just drops compared to what we have inside. Tragically, too often the jar gets shattered and trampled by the recipients of the precious perfume. As a result, brokenness, bitterness and pain enter our lives.
Let’s just look through the eyes of God -YOU ARE that jar of very expensive perfume, filled with feelings, emotions, passions, and love. You were created in the image of Your Father who has so much to GIVE. Just as the Father gives generously, lavishly, abundantly, you can also give generously like Him.
“A woman came to Him with an alabaster jar… which she poured on His head…” This woman poured out all her love to Jesus.
People can ask, why Jesus? Why not the children? The poor? So many people are suffering and need love. Why not love others and do good deeds? Why pour out our perfume to Jesus?
It seems like this woman knew the secret: without loving Jesus and giving yourself totally to Him, you cannot love much. In time your jar will become empty, broken and trampled on. Without God your love is limited by what you have in the jar. It will not be replenished.
Jesus! By giving You everything we have, You are pouring Yourself into us, and not only into us, but on us, and now, our jars of very expensive perfume are limitless. We become limitless in giving to others because our source is You!
“She has done a beautiful thing…” It’s more than just a beautiful thing to Jesus. His love sustains us. Loving Him, we love others, even when they are breaking our hearts. We are able to forgive them, to see them through God’s eyes, and love them with God’s heart.
This woman’s act of devotion prepared Jesus for his journey on the cross, for His burial and resurrection. It brings me to the thought that when we sow acts of love in others, it will result in bringing life, even eternal life.
The Greatness of Jesus is that He does not only accept our love, but He also accepts our brokenness! When we come to Jesus as we are, He creates something beautiful in us – He restores, He heals, He redeems our broken lives and pour his love into our jars so that we can pour it out to others.
Bring your jar to Jesus. Our Savior can make you whole and the love of God will again flow from you.
