Is it beautiful or a waste?
What a waste!
I’m all too familiar with the use of that phrase. It flies out of my mouth when an item I purchased didn’t last like I expected. Or when a movie I’ve watched and deemed no good was a waste of my time. Even throwing away the carry out container from an amazing dinner at my favorite restaurant. I have such a strong reaction to wasting food and yet I still do it!
Our culture likes to celebrate being wasteful. We rejoice when someone has finished all eight seasons of their latest Netflix binge in a weekend. We applaud you for downsizing your closets of abundant stuff you’ve accumulated over the years. Items are donated while the remainder fill supersized garbage bags. You spend hundreds of dollars in a day through the easy access of online shopping and then wonder why you struggle to stay within your monthly budget. Somehow it’s easier to look at someone else’s life and identify wasteful living. But then, to look at my own? If I’m being honest, it’s difficult to discern when I’m wasting my time, money or resources. There’s might be something to taking that log out of your own eye that Jesus instructed us to do!
I’m reminded of one woman who performed a courageous and extravagant act in front of others that looked like a waste. But she knew exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it. Most of all, she knew who it was for.
Dinner interrupted
There’s a dinner party happening in Bethany. Jesus is enjoying a meal around the table with His disciples and other guests. I don’t know about your dinner parties but mine are usually pretty lively with storytelling, deep discussions, laughter and commentary about the food. I imagine that this dinner is similar. It’s not quiet but bustling with activity between eating, drinking and enjoying friends. A woman arrives. (Most assume this is Mary of Bethany but she’s not named in two of the four gospels.) She has her gaze fixed on Jesus and advances towards Him, her hands wrapped around a simple, sealed, aged jar.
She’s interrupting dinner.
Conversations die off as all eyes shift to her at the sound of something breaking. The neck of the jar breaks and before the guests see anything, a scent begins to fill the air. Her eyes are still on Jesus and He’s smiling at her, encouraging her to continue with what she’s already determined to do. Her heart can’t contain her love in the same way the jar can no longer contain the oil. She pours the entire contents of the jar over His head.
As she’s pouring, she remembers how this beautiful gift was passed from her grandmother and then to her mother and to her. She knows this isn’t cheap perfume. The oil contained in this jar is costly. But there’s no putting a price on the depth of love that she has for Jesus. The jar was her greatest treasure until she met Him. She doesn’t hesitate as the oil streams from the jar over His hair and down His beard and onto His robe. There is no withholding some of it for later. Every drop touches Him in some way. The fragrance permeates the room and can’t help but be taken in by all who surround the table. The woman closes her eyes as if to solidify this moment with the one she loves deep into her memory.
A gesture defended
The sweet smell of the room is soured by the voices that begin to grumble. They weren’t seeing the interaction between Mary and Jesus. Their eyes were locked in on the jar.
What was that? Was that nard?
What a waste!
Who knows how much that was worth?
Judas, the money keeper, is quick to let everyone know. Three hundred denarii!
Are you serious? How many poor people could we have cared for with that one bottle!
Their voices start to rise up against her. She’s looking around the room at their angry faces. She listens to their critiques about her. Her eyes are wide with surprise as she considers their reaction. Aren’t these the same men who gave up everything to follow Him? The ones who have the privilege of sitting at His feet day after day while He teaches them about the Kingdom of God. Her head lowers and she starts to second guess herself. In the very moment that she starts to feel shame, Jesus defends her.
“Don’t judge her. Why are you trying to stir up confusion in her? This thing you have called a waste, it is beautiful to me! The poor will always be here. You can always care for them and that is good. But, she has done what she could with the treasure that she possessed. She has seen and believed my words that my death is near. She is loving me extravagantly now, while she can. She has prepared my body for burial. When I’m gone and the good news begins to spread in the world, this moment will be told. Her story of extravagant love won’t be forgotten.” (my paraphrase of Mark 14:6-8)
What isn’t a waste
There are ways of living in our world that are wasteful. But a life lived in worship to Jesus isn’t a waste. I need to course correct away from pointing fingers at the way others might be living wastefully to evaluate my own spending in terms of time, money and resources. I’m fortunate to live monetarily in a way that is comfortable.
I have the privilege of choosing how I spend the financial resources that God has given me. Will I waste it on the short term comforts of this world or will I waste it on Jesus?
Time is incredibly precious and everyday, I get to choose how I spend it. Will I spend it on Jesus?
Each of us has been given gifts to offer to the world. Are my gifts lying dormant or are they being wasted in offering to Jesus everyday?
Are you and I willing to reevaluate how we live in light of what Jesus says is valuable over what our culture defines as worthwhile? The thing is, I can trust that Jesus will defend me in the way that I am living IF my life is poured out as an offering before Him. Mary knew what she needed to do and she didn’t look around to see if others would approve of her gift or not. She stepped out in courage to worship and pour out her love for Jesus with her greatest treasure. That’s the unhindered life of worshipping Jesus with everything. What others might look at and call a waste, Jesus declares beautiful.
The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Matthew 6:21 (message)