BEWARE OF MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S SERVICE
BEWARE OF MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S SERVICE
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” —Mark 14:3-9
And so today as I share this portion of God’s Word, wherever this goes in the world, what this woman has done is being told in memory of her again— just as Jesus said it would happen two-thousand years ago.
This woman took “very expensive perfume” which was worth “more than a year’s wages” and poured it on Jesus’ head. Some of the people there thought that this was a waste and did not understand why she was doing what she was doing. Jesus said, “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
What did Jesus say?
- They were bothering her.
- She has done a beautiful thing to Him.
- The poor will always be present.
- You can help the poor anytime.
- He would not always be with them.
- She did what she could.
- She prepared Him for burial.
- Wherever the gospel goes this memory of her will be told.
This woman was ministering to Jesus and “they” said that she was a nuisance, being difficult or a disturbance. What Jesus said was a beautiful thing she was doing, they were thinking it was horrible. Jesus said that she was preparing Him for burial and they did not have a clue what that meant. Jesus also said that this wonderful service to Him would be retold wherever the gospel went as a memorial to her. Wow… We need to be careful that we don’t come down of someone’s service to Jesus just because we may not understand.
Dear Father I thank You for all those who are faithfully serving You even if I don’t understand the ministry you have them in. Simply, may I be faithful to what You have called me to and trust others will be faithful in what You have called them to. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxI0Yyy57Wo