Day 315
Mark 14:3-5 J.B. Phillips Translation
"Jesus himself was now in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper. As he was sitting at table, a woman approached him with a alabaster flask of very costly spikenard perfume. She broke the neck of the flask and poured the perfume on Jesus' head. Some of those present were highly indignant and muttered,
"What is the point of such wicked waste of perfume? It could have been sold for over thirty pounds and the money given to the poor." And there was a murmur of resentment against her."
Before Jesus died, a woman anointed Him with very expensive perfume, signifying that his body would soon be prepared for burial. She was responding to a desire in her heart that was put there by God. It was so touching to Jesus, that He said wherever the gospel is preached, the story of what this woman did would be told.
Some of Jesus' disciples were offended at what the woman did and complained that the perfume was wasted. Someone said it could have been sold and the proceeds used to help the poor. Although God admonishes us to help the poor, we should not worship them. The poor will always be with us, even if everyone sold all they had and gave it to all the poor people. There are various reasons why poor people exist.
In our service to God, we must always give and serve as unto the Lord and never exalt the people we minister to over the Lord we represent. It is easy to want to support only our ministry. What we do, especially giving to the poor, can be a means of building our own self-worth or self-esteem. If God wants to bless someone through us, we must never consider it a waste and think that we could better use it for our own ministry. When we think that way, we have begun to exalt our ministry and ourselves above God. We must be open to doing extravagant things for God. God designed the tabernacle, the objects to go inside it and the garments the ministers were to wear. The materials used were expensive and included fine cloth, jewels, brass, silver and gold. King Solomon was exceedingly rich, partly due to the gifts that were given to him.
The Bible indicates that God made him rich, which means He approved of the gifts given to Solomon, although there were poor people in the world at the time.
It actually takes more humility to give extravagantly to someone as the Lord directs us, or to contribute toward something elaborate that will be used in the service of the Lord, than it does to give generously to the poor. We are far more likely to be admired for giving to the poor. We are far more likely to be criticized for giving extravagantly toward someone or something. The fact that we love God above ourselves is not evidenced so much by what we give to a particular project or group of people as it is by our obedience to His leadership in our giving. We must be careful to give to please God, not to be admired by people or to receive self gratification.
I will examine my motives for giving. I will give as unto the Lord. I will give as I am directed by the Lord, regardless of whether or not it will cause me to be admired or criticized. I worship God and no one else or nothing else.