“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.”
Mark 14:3 (NIV)
Greeting with a kiss, washing feet and pouring fragrant oil on the head were all routine customs of hospitality in Jesus’ day. These acts of hospitality were done for house guests who spent hours walking in the hot dry sun.
While Jesus was hanging out at the home of Simon, who He healed of leprosy, a woman walked in, carrying an expensive alabaster jar, with an even more expensive scented oil within it. It was very costly, rare and imported oil, called Spikenard, a perfumed oil which comes from a plant in the honeysuckle family, that grows in the Himalayas. The oil in her jar was thought to cost about one year’s salary.
The gospel of Mark never mentions the woman’s name, but she went beyond the routine custom of the day, and poured all of the oil upon the head of Jesus. She saving nothing for herself, and while others were beyond outraged at her wastefulness, Jesus praised her for showing Him so much love.
This story made me wonder what I am keeping in my alabaster jar by today’s standards. Everyone has something that they value and keep in their metaphoric alabaster jar. My jar contains my time, because time is sacred to me. Sacrificing my time to serve, would be equivalent to pouring oil on the head of Jesus.
Many years ago, I stayed late after an evening church event, to help wash silverware. I remember thinking how much I dislike washing dishes, and wished I was home, relaxing on my couch.
The story about the alabaster jar was an awakening for me, and I realized that whether I give my time in a menial task like washing church dishes or serving Him in other ways, I am still pouring oil on Jesus, out of my alabaster jar.
Serving others by menial dish washing, is serving Jesus and there’s nothing menial about serving Jesus. The narrow spout on the alabaster jar was used to moderate the flow of oil and avoid waste, but the nameless woman in this gospel story, broke off the spout, and poured all her oil on Jesus, without moderation. In holding nothing back, Her action was a gesture of surrendered love.
Jesus loves us in the same way, by surrendering Himself and holding nothing back. He emptied all of Himself for us, without moderation. Jesus made Himself a gift of love to us, pouring Himself out at the cross. That is why we can pause to think of what valuables are kept in our alabaster jar. It’s surely something that Jesus deserves to be honored with.
We will each find our own meaningful way to empty our alabaster jars for Jesus, in order to make Him our first priority and our first love.
Lord, thank you for loving us by pouring yourself out for us at the cross. Help us to hold nothing back from you, that is kept in our alabaster jars. Amen
