Matthew 26:6-13: “While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, a man who had a serious skin disease, a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for Me. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me. By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. I assure you: Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
When we built the cross, some accused us of wasting money. One talk radio show in Orlando spent an entire day taking calls about the waste of the cross. It has been 14 years since the cross was built. We have seen hundreds of lives changed by coming to the cross. On one occasion a mentally disturbed mom had abducted her children in North Carolina and brought them to Florida in an effort to take them to Disney. Upon arrival at the park, she did not have the money to buy tickets so she drove around the city for hours. She found the cross and brought her children to play in the playground built at the base. We had an event on that morning and one of our ladies knew of the man hunt for this mom and children. She watched the children and spoke to the mom. The mom asked if she would watch the children while she ran to the car. The mom did not return. The authorities were alerted and the children were safely returned to their dad. The mom was found. The mom told the police that she left her kids at the cross.
The disciples did not know that Mary was anointing Jesus for His burial and that her work would endure forever. Before we criticize a gift sincerely offered to the Lord, we should recognize that God works in the hearts of people to bring Him glory. Mary left a legacy of love for every Christian to be inspired by her gift.
Would you bring a gift to the Lord this Easter season?