3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 14:3–9.
We often reserve items for “special occasions,” but many of these treasured possessions deteriorate or are ruined before the ideal moment arrives, just as my recent garage clean-up revealed numerous unusable items I’d saved. Similarly, while certain elements of praise and worship are set aside for specific times, we must not delay giving ourselves fully to God; even when prompted, we frequently postpone our devotion until specific times of the year. Yet, the story of the woman in the Gospel of Mark teaches us that now is the opportune moment to give completely to God, underscoring the urgency of worship and showing that our offerings must be centered on service and absolute devotion, holding nothing back from Him.
True devotion, as illustrated by the woman, is marked by genuine sacrifice. She brought a flask of pure spikenard, a costly and precious oil, and broke the vessel to pour out every drop for Jesus. This was not a calculated donation or reserved offering; it was a complete outpouring of her resources and heart, worth more than a year’s wages. Her willingness to give all she had, holding nothing back, serves as a powerful example that honoring Christ means nothing is too precious to offer. Devotion requires us to trust and surrender our resources, affections, and priorities in worship, echoing the woman’s recognition of Jesus as Messiah and her spiritual insight into his coming sacrifice.
Yet, extravagant worship is often misunderstood and criticized, both by outsiders and fellow believers. The disciples’ reaction, seeing the woman’s gift as a waste that should have been sold for charity, exposes their limited understanding of the moment’s spiritual gravity. Their chastisement, particularly intense in its language, betrays both misguided concern and, in the case of Judas, selfish motives. The passage illuminates how true worship can defy conventions and be met with reproach; however, it is precisely when we silence these voices of doubt and give fully of ourselves for Christ, valuing Him above societal expectations and lesser concerns, that we emulate the woman’s absolute devotion.
Jesus’ response to the woman stands as the affirmation and reward for such sacrificial affection. He not only protects her from rebuke, but declares her deed “a beautiful thing,” elevating it as an enduring testament of faith and prophetic understanding. Where others saw waste, Jesus recognized an act of profound beauty, devotion, and harmony with God’s will. The legacy of the woman’s worship reassures all believers: even small or misunderstood acts of love for Christ have everlasting significance. In attending to the table of God, we are called to hold nothing back, trusting that such wholehearted giving is both noticed and celebrated in the heart of Jesus.
The gift was perfectly timed, arriving just as Jesus was about to be crucified and offered by a woman whose devotion was praised by Him, despite the disciples’ and others’ criticisms of its expense. Jesus held her up as an example of true worship: unreserved dedication to serving Christ’s ministry in the world. Now is the opportune moment to release all that we hold dear and worship the Almighty without reservation. Worship that is not used becomes stagnant, like items saved for a “special occasion” that are eventually discarded. Jesus calls us to His presence now, not in the future, asking us to give everything because our worship is of the highest value and should not be offered to anything that is not of God. Therefore, Christ invites us to give ourselves completely, withholding nothing: neither our finances, nor our time, nor any part of ourselves, from the full and total worship of God. Even if it seems irrational, we are called to give entirely. There is no need to save ourselves for a “rainy day,” because Jesus is here now, inviting us to come forward and share in the kingdom. When we encounter Jesus, we cannot hold anything back, so that our worship may be pure and pleasing in His sight.
Horizon Community Church 