Matthew 26:6-16 - Give up your Oil!

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

The many functions of oil...
photo by Peter Whiddon, used under the creative commons license.
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Jesus is invited to dinner to the house of Simon the Leper. No doubt, this Simon was a leper no more, thanks to the healing power of Jesus.  While at dinner a women, troubled by her sins, takes a jar of very costly fragrant oil and anoints Jesus' Head.  The disciples, especially, Judas, can't believe what they are seeing. Why would Jesus allow this to be done? This oil could have been sold to feed the poor. And yet, Jesus reminds us that we should always be taking care of the poor but, at that particular time, it was proper to minister to Him. While this women was preparing Jesus for His burial, Judas, for the love of money, was about to cause Jesus' burial by betraying Him.

O Lord, I pray, help me to be like this women, whom You honored by promising an everlasting memorial for this kind act. She cared nothing for the ridicule of others but sought only to serve You. She poured out oil that cost her a large part of her wealth and yet, to her it was nothing. Help me, with my earthly mammon, and any other resources, to serve and honor You.  Let my talents be like pouring oil upon Your head and may my gifts be like a service to You, proclaiming Your glory to others.

Happy is the man who willingly gives up all to serve Christ. Amen.