At What Cost?
"Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”"
"From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests"Matthew 26:14-16
We all spend a significant part of our lives working to make money. We spend about 1,700 hours a year working to make money. That’s about ⅕ of our lives on money. We also spend years in education to be ready to do a job, years in training to do a job, or years as an apprentice or junior technician to do a job. Which ever, there are years spent getting ready to make money. We value money. Money is worth at least 20% of our lives.
I love the story of the woman with the jar of nard. That alabaster jar of nard could have been her dowry. It was worth about a year’s wages. I would agree that this jar of nard was worth a “a high price”. An alabaster jar could not be opened and closed like a Mason jar. It was a one time use, broken open jar. It was special. It’s contents were special. Nard is an essential oil. My wife has gotten into using essential oils around the house. A drop or two is generally used. They can be strong; even diluted. The anointing woman used about a pound of pure nard. No diluting. As the gospel writers say, the smell filled the room! What a gift in terms of money and extravagance. Like other essential oils, the smell lasts. A few drops may last for hours. I can only imagine how lasting a pound would be. As Jesus says in Matthew 26:12, she has prepared His body for burial. The smell of nard likely would have lingered as He was surged, hung on the cross, and placed into the tumb.
Jesus’ disciples were “indignant” at the “waste”. We know what was going to happen on Friday. We see her extravagance as beautiful. We can imagine her gift as a wonderful blessing for our Lord as He suffered to have the minor comfort the lasting smell could give. But, if I was with the disciples, would I not also be indignant over the waste.
A year’s wages on spilt perfume! That money could have been put to better use. What is she thinking? She could sell that perfume and invest that money for her future. Why, she could get training for a good paying job. She doesn’t have to be so extravagant. She could have used less perfume if she wanted to anoint Jesus. A different container so some could be saved. This is too much.
Don’t we think the same as the disciples when someone gives more than we would be willing to give; from their time, their money, their life?
- What is too extravagant for you to give Jesus?
- From your time?
- From your money?
--Zine Smith
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