Giving With Abandon

A woman.

A bottle.

His feet.

Her tears.

Matthew's account (26:6-13) of the woman who anointed Jesus' feet with costly oil has long been one of my very favorite stories. And this morning, as I read it once again, I saw it in a brand-new way.

Always before when reading it, I'd been angered by the disciples and their rude and selfish reaction to her serving out of brokenness.

They scorned her gift.

It was HER gift. Not one they chose to give. Not one they had to receive.

This was between Jesus and her... and it came under verbal attack and scoffing disapproval.

I am such a people pleaser, that I know I've often thought "Here's my gift, Jesus... please help (insert name of whoever I'm trying desperately to impress/please) to think it's good enough for You."

This precious woman was far from worried about what people thought. She invaded a room filled with religious men who all despised her, to bathe the feet of a holy man that she had no right to touch. Her thoughts were hardly about what others would think.

She was perfectly devoted to her task.

Loving.

Serving.

Preparing Him for burial.




How often have we looked at someone else's gift and silently thought, "Too much," or "way too small."

Everybody's gift looks different.

And only the giver and Receiver know if it cost everything to give.

But each one is precious, when poured with abandon on the feet of Jesus.