Wasting My Alabaster Jar, by OkayYeekay
This is a weird blog name. I know. But there's an explanation, I promise.
In Mark 14:1-9, a certain woman comes up to Jesus while He's dining at someone's house. She broke her alabaster jar (the equivalent of her dowry) and poured perfume on Jesus' feet and washed them. Others who were watching this woman were questioning why she would waste her most precious thing for a silly thing like washing someone's feet. Jesus replied: "She has done a beautiful thing to me."
This passage became a recurring theme around the time I started college. Literally...speaker after conference after Words talking about this woman and her actions came my way. There are several things about this woman that really touch me and inspire me to live my life after her example:
1. She gave up her most precious thing. That alabaster jar was worth a fortune in itself, and the perfume inside equally priceless. In her culture, that was her dowry, her brideprice. A woman had no future or security without her dowry. This woman gave up the assurance of her future as a bride, everything, to give homage to Jesus. She understood that the value of worship far outweighed that of security in lifestyle.
2. She gave up her dowry. As a person who looks forward to one day experiencing romance and marriage, this cut me to the core. This woman gave up her hopes and dreams of finding a man, all for Jesus. Am I willing to do the same? Is Jesus always featured as #1 in my hopeful wishing and musings of what the future holds?
3. The world thought it all a waste; Jesus thought it beautiful. There are times in my life when I wonder whether what I spend my time on is a waste. In a world that teaches getting ahead, padding resumes, gaining accolades, climbing the corporate ladder, giving up my time and passions for Jesus seems a total waste of my talents and skills. But the point is to see things in Kingdom Perspective, where investing in people, their souls, their lives, is not only worthwhile, but beautiful.
So I've resolved to live my life, and share about it, in this way. I'm wasting my alabaster jar on the King. He thinks it beautiful.
(OkayYeekay came about because I'm trying to teach some babbies at church to say my name. It rhymes.)
In Mark 14:1-9, a certain woman comes up to Jesus while He's dining at someone's house. She broke her alabaster jar (the equivalent of her dowry) and poured perfume on Jesus' feet and washed them. Others who were watching this woman were questioning why she would waste her most precious thing for a silly thing like washing someone's feet. Jesus replied: "She has done a beautiful thing to me."
This passage became a recurring theme around the time I started college. Literally...speaker after conference after Words talking about this woman and her actions came my way. There are several things about this woman that really touch me and inspire me to live my life after her example:
1. She gave up her most precious thing. That alabaster jar was worth a fortune in itself, and the perfume inside equally priceless. In her culture, that was her dowry, her brideprice. A woman had no future or security without her dowry. This woman gave up the assurance of her future as a bride, everything, to give homage to Jesus. She understood that the value of worship far outweighed that of security in lifestyle.
2. She gave up her dowry. As a person who looks forward to one day experiencing romance and marriage, this cut me to the core. This woman gave up her hopes and dreams of finding a man, all for Jesus. Am I willing to do the same? Is Jesus always featured as #1 in my hopeful wishing and musings of what the future holds?
3. The world thought it all a waste; Jesus thought it beautiful. There are times in my life when I wonder whether what I spend my time on is a waste. In a world that teaches getting ahead, padding resumes, gaining accolades, climbing the corporate ladder, giving up my time and passions for Jesus seems a total waste of my talents and skills. But the point is to see things in Kingdom Perspective, where investing in people, their souls, their lives, is not only worthwhile, but beautiful.
So I've resolved to live my life, and share about it, in this way. I'm wasting my alabaster jar on the King. He thinks it beautiful.
(OkayYeekay came about because I'm trying to teach some babbies at church to say my name. It rhymes.)
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