And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. (Matthew 26:6-10)
It was two days before the Passover when Jesus was invited to a dinner in His honor at the house of Simon the leper. This was a very significant evening in that Jesus was sitting at the table with Simon, a person He had no doubt healed of leprosy, and according to John chapter 12, Martha was serving Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. A man who had been healed by Jesus and a man whom the Lord had raised from the dead were sitting at dinner eating with God! Also, Jesus’ time had come to be crucified for the sin of the world, and while seated at supper, a woman approached the table having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil. She poured it upon His head as He sat at the table and also over His feet and wiped them with her hair. The fragrance filled the room! John records that it was Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, who performed this extravagant and memorable act of worship on the Lord! The disciples saw this and were very indignant, saying, “why this waste?” The Lord responded to this selfless act of worship with a rebuke, saying, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.” According to the Lord, this was not wasteful, but worship!
To give oneself unreservedly and lavishly to God is never wasted in the mind of God. Only in the minds of the selfish and sinful is costly service to Jesus considered a waste! Mathew tells us that when Jesus’ disciples saw this costly and beautiful worship, they were indignant, considering a year‘s wages too costly to use on Jesus in this manner. John’s Gospel is more specific, saying, “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor” (John 12: 4-6).There are so many who think that a life given wholly to Jesus is a waste, and, like Judas, they often attach lofty ideals to their wrong perspectives and motives. Take heed, lest like Judas you may be found to be wicked and uncaring in heart. Are you influenced by the world’s definition of waste when it comes to the worship of the One who died for you? Are you willing to be considered a fool for Christ’s sake?
In the recent article, “The Wasted Life,” I point out that living life for oneself is a wasted life, but to give your all to Jesus is the way in which we all should live! Living selflessly in regard to Christ is highly appropriate! Endeavor to live in a way that brings glory to Him. It is necessary and important that we give our very life to Jesus Christ in honor of Him.
One day Peter said to Jesus, “’See, we have left all and followed You.’ So Jesus answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time’” (Mark 10:28-30).
Consider what it means to be wasted on the Lord. Give your all to Jesus, He is worthy!