She Has Loved Me Much

I can't help but wonder why she was there.  Perhaps she wondered the same thing herself.  Had she felt herself drawn to hide in the shadows in hopes of getting a glimpse of this man Jesus she kept hearing so much about?  I can imagine someone with her reputation would have a hard time believing all the things she had heard about him and would need to see them for herself.  Or had she already encountered him before and stood in wonder as he looked deep into her eyes until she realized he knew every sordid detail of her past yet forgave her just the same.  Had she sought him out, waiting for an opportunity to reciprocate that unconditional love or had she just happened to be there and acted totally on impulse?  I don't know the answers to these questions, but I do know that irregardless of whether her salvation experience took place some time prior to this incident or on that very night, her worship was pure, came from the depths of her soul and portrayed a genuine example we would do well to follow. . . .

Jesus lay inclined at the feast set before the guests and patiently listened to the conversation around Him. Everyone seemed more interested in impressing the crowd than in showing Him any respect, and seemed to talk at Him and not with Him. In fact, as was the custom of the day, no servant had been sent with a basin of water to wash off the day's dirt and grime from His feet.  How could they treat Jesus with so much disregard? Perhaps as she stood there contemplating the situation, straining for a glimpse of the wayward servant who was tardy in fulfilling his role, memories of her own sinful past flooded her soul, and she began to feel that of all the people present in that household, it was HER responsibility!  You can tell from her actions and demeanor that she did not consider this task a duty but a great honor and privilege as she poured out her heart to Him freely and openly.  For probably the first time in her life, she knew what it was to be loved - an agape love - unconditionally.  And her response was a single-minded yearning to return that love.  In that very instance, her priorities slipped into their proper place and Jesus became first in her life.  She did not let the fact that there were people around them who would vigorously disapprove have any affect on her focus.  She did not worry that she didn't have access to water and a towel. She willingly sacrificed her entire life's savings - her security for the future - an alabaster jar of valuable perfume that had taken her years of saving to purchase - to worship Him.  By doing so she let Him know she was putting her complete and total trust in Him. She showed her sincere repentance by rinsing them with her own tears, and she showed her complete willingness to do anything for Him by using her very own hair to wipe them clean.  She didn't hold anything back.

I have to stop and think for a minute about my own worship experiences.  Is Jesus my first priority?  All the men at the feast had their priorities out of whack.  They were thinking more about themselves and their desires or needs than Jesus who sat across from them. May I open my eyes and see HIM - put HIM FIRST and not myself.  Do I hold anything back? Do I have an alabaster jar filled with something valuable that I could so easily place my trust in instead of Him?  My relationships?  My bank account?  My career?  My status?  My position?  How hard is it to not only give those alabaster jars to Him but to do so freely and willingly and openly?  Am I so willing to commit all that I am and all that I do for His glory that I wouldn't question wiping oil and dirt from His almighty feet? 

When we truly love Him genuinely without regard to anything else around us; when we willingly give up all our Alabaster jars for Him; when we totally commit all that we are and do for His glory; when we become "broken and poured out" at His feet just as this young woman was . . . our priorities - fall into their proper order. God's order - where He is first and everything else is in its proper place according to HIS perspective and not mine.

How sweet to hear Him say, "She has loved me much." She has loved me much...personally, I think those words of affirmation that I have pleased God are worth any Alabaster Jar I could possibly ever own. 

copy written by Robin Kelley