Able Offering

The fragrant beauty of giving everything we can to Jesus stands in stark contrast to attempting to use Jesus to manipulate our selfish desires.

Reading in Mark 14 today, I was struck by the sequence of events two days before Jesus would be crucified.  Let’s read. 

Mar 14:3	Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume.[fn1] She broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head.
Mar 14:4	Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why was this expensive perfume wasted?” they asked.
Mar 14:5	“She could have sold it for a small fortune[fn2] and given the money to the poor!” And they scolded her harshly.
Mar 14:6	But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me?
Mar 14:7	You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you much longer.
Mar 14:8	She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
Mar 14:9	I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be talked about in her memory.”
Mar 14:10	Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them.
Mar 14:11	The leading priests were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised him a reward. So he began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus.

Some phrases stick out to me today. 

*doing such a good thing to me*

And the next is related:

*she has done what she could*

When I think of pursuing the Proverbs 31 woman, it is with the motive to do this for Jesus.  And I do not think that means I have to be everything that this amazing woman is all at once or all the time.  I believe that giving Jesus our all is to use what resource we have to give to Him.  For instance, a woman in a wheel chair can be a Proverbs 31 woman just the same as a woman who has the ability to walk, etc.  Though the godly woman seen in Proverbs 31 is defined as an able woman, again, I believe that a woman in a wheel chair is able to give her all to Jesus the same way I can.  Now that will look a lot different.  And don’t all of us have disabilities, though they may not be as apparent.  I scored high on my IQ tests; however, I am a VERY slow reader, and I could not read with someone looking over my shoulder if my life depended on it.  I get nervous going through the self checkout, which is why I usually avoid them.  But I think organic chemistry is awesome.  Babies scare me and I don’t like to sing in public, but public speaking is like candy to me (if I liked candy). 

Anyway, my point is that whatever I have as far as my time, energy, giftings, money, etc., I have the opportunity in this life to give it all to Jesus. 

Now, at different times in my life, that looks different.  Right after having a baby or while going through some physical illness, I will not be running around like a busy bee serving everyone.  But during times of health and stability, I can manage to accomplish many things.  God knows and I know what I am able to give.  And I usually don’t worry too much about how others judge my performance.  I do worry about this at times, but know that I should never really be concerned about it.  My first life verse was “walk before Me and be blameless.”  God sees my heart and my offering.

The next phrase that stood out to me was this:

*this woman’s deed*

What I do for Jesus is important. 

I was not planning on being a wife or a Mom.  God delivered me from an abusive relationship when I was nineteen.  I found Jesus to truly be all I needed and wanted.  My life, I thought was to be offered to Him in full time missionary service.  Then God brought me home and unmistakably called me to marry my Jeff.  What a blessing!  And what a baptism!  And then He called me to raise my beautiful children.  Though what I do does not come natural to me, and is never easy for me, I do it for Jesus.

I am not trying to boast.  My heart here is to encourage anyone who may struggle with this Proverbs 31 woman to stop looking at what you cannot do or what you fail at, and focus on giving Jesus what you can.  He will see and remember.  I also want to discourage us from using Jesus to gain money or status.  Both types of devotion will be seen for what they are during times of great trial.

Going back to the passage in Mark, I find it incredible that Judas left to betray Jesus immediately after witnessing this beautiful woman give her all to Jesus.  Many of the disciples, probably including Judas, were indignant at her offering, but Jesus was not. 

I have specific reasons for having a big family, that I hope to write about soon, and I know that many, if not most, people these days do not value this the same way I do.  However, my convictions are strong, and I don’t want to let others opinions stop me from doing good to Jesus.

Okay, my older children are needing attention.  Their rest time is over. 

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