We May Ask, Are Our Sacrifices Too Great For The Lord?

Today’s devotion is taken from Mark 14:3-9:

“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

1) The woman in the story must have heard from the disciples about Jesus going to Jerusalem and that he will die there. She took the alabaster jar of perfume, broke it and poured all its content on Jesus. She did this in preparation for burial of Jesus.

Those who were present rebuked her and said that the perfume could have been sold for a worker’s one year wages and given to the poor. They considered the monetary value of the perfume of the perfume which was poured out on Jesus to be extremely extravagant or even wasteful. Often they said it in a more spiritual terms under a pious façade. They made it to appear that they were concerned for the poor.

Sometimes we may be tempted to think that we have sacrificed a great deal for the Lord. Or we take up the position of those who rebuked the woman who poured the entire content of the alabaster jar on Jesus. We ask, can this money be put to better use instead of putting on Jesus alone? Can it be divided and some be given to the poor? Why we give up so much for Jesus? Is it justified for us to make such a huge sacrifice for Jesus? In other words, is he worth it?

Have there been occasions when you question if you have made the right decision to make such a great sacrifice? Is Jesus really worth that much for you to do so? Have you even felt sorry for yourself doing that? If you have, you are not not alone. I think in some ways I entertained such thoughts some times.

For some of us, it is giving up our sleep to wake up earlier to attend a morning prayer. Or when we have to make an effort to go to the church earlier and serve in a ministry. Maybe to taking leave and come out the money to go on a mission trip or give towards a project or to help someone in need.

In the story, when the alabaster jar was broken, the fragrance filled the whole room and everyone in the room was blessed. The sacrifice we make for Jesus, will in turn be a wonderful blessing to many people. This is how God will use our sacrifice which we offer them to Him. He will make us a blessing to many people, even to people whom we do not know.

2) Let us look at the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The Son of God who did not consider himself too valuable to come to give his life to die for you and me. Indeed the One who has truly sacrifice everything is Jesus Christ himself? He is like the alabaster jar in the story. Just like when the alabaster jar was broken, all the perfume was emptied out. When Jesus hung on the cross, the soldier came to him and saw that he was already dead. He took a spear and pierced the side of the Lord. Immediately water and blood gushed out. Jesus emptied himself for us. All that was in Him was poured out for you and me. He gave us his all. To compare the value of his life with the value of my life, the exchange is so unfair. When I think of myself, who am I? I am a sinner; I am made out of the dust. Why should the prince of the Kingdom of heaven come to exchange his life for mine?

Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to have same attitude as Christ Jesus, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2: 6-8)