One of my favorite scriptures of all time is Luke 7:36-50. In this scripture Jesus was invited by a Pharisee named Simon to have a meal at his home. While there, a woman only known as the sinful woman came and began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and then opened an alabaster jar of ointment and anointed his feet. Then Simon thought to himself, “If this man were really a prophet he would know that this is a sinful woman that is touching him.” Because Jesus knew what was in Simon’s heart, he told Simon a story. Jesus said, “Two men owed money to a moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to repay him so he canceled both debts. Which of these men loved him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the biggest debt canceled.” Jesus said, “You have judged correctly.” Jesus then turned toward the woman while saying to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your home and you did not give me any water for my feet. She has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman has not stopped kissing my feet from the time she entered. You did not give me oil for my head, but she has put perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you her many sins are forgiven because she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
I imagine that when this woman entered the Pharisee’s home she was not noticed by many of those present. Or if they did notice her, they judged her in their hearts because of what she had done in her past. She was probably vividly aware of what others thought of her, but she did not let it stop her from coming to Jesus and pouring her heart out to him. When she broke her alabaster jar and anointed Jesus’ feet she was giving to Him the best of what she had. This jar of ointment represented a time in her life when she was full of hope and expectation of what life would bring to her. It represented all the hopes and dreams that she held dear in her heart. It represented all that was good about her.
As I think about this act of love, I ask myself what is in my alabaster jar? What am I holding in my heart that Jesus wants me to lay at his feet so that he can bring love, healing, and restoration?
For most of my life I have longed for a husband. I have prayed for this many times and yet here I am 37 years old and still not married. I have recently realized that this led me to put up a barrier in my heart and believe that I am not worthy of love. I walked daily in a spirit of rejection believing I was never good enough for anything or anyone. I became a people pleaser and learned that doing things for others sometimes led me to feel accepted. Ultimately, this barrier to love has caused me a lot of pain, but because it was such a defining part of myself I held it in my jar.
I now choose to come to Jesus and lay this at his feet. I choose to accept and believe his love for me. I choose to walk in his love daily. I imagine him looking at me with His huge smile and open arms drawing me in for a hug, and it makes my heart happy.
So the question I am asking all of you is the same I ask myself. What is in your alabaster jar?
