When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. Luke 7:36-38
While I sit here picturing this scene, words like “unkempt” or “disheveled” come to mind. In the middle of what might be a nice dinner party, an outcast woman refutes any social constructs that would keep her from being in attendance.
Typically, anytime I’ve met a woman who is distraught, wailing and has tears running down her chin, it’s not usually her most put-together moment. This woman was probably not dressed for a wine and dine evening, but instead sported the “matted & grunge look” after using her tangled locks and fresh kisses to clean dirtied toes. Let’s not forget that those feet walked everywhere, seeing their fair share of dust and animal droppings! As the moment progresses and things become even more socially distressed, the woman then whips out her life’s savings and empties it upon her Savior.
Woof.
This woman acting in pure humility challenges me in more ways than one. Nothing stops her from being in the presence of Jesus – not her sins, her disapproving neighbors, nor her finances. Can I say the same of myself? Like the example of the woman, I want to keep my gaze clearly fixed on Jesus. I want to have no concern for the worries or disapproving looks of this world.
How about you?
Is there something Jesus is asking you to let go of? Would He have you sacrifice your pride, the approval of others or your finances for His Kingdom? These are the questions I’d encourage you to ask yourself.
Because He is worthy, you can entrust your alabaster jar to Him.
By Morgan Mallory
