Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
How many of the issues in your life and my life stem from a brokenness or sin that came down through the generations? These difficulties may look like destructive patterns or bents toward doing certain things wrong. They plague us and sometimes avoid our notice because they are “the way things have always been.” God wants to speak to you about these things. He wants to interrupt the cycle of defeat and hurt that has tormented generations in your family line. He wants to invite you and I into the new legacy of healing and wholeness that Jesus offers. Rest assured, it’s a work that He can do!
So what does this have to do with the woman who anointed Jesus? Maybe you have thought about generational issues before, and maybe you have received some healing in this area. But conversely, have you stopped to think about the generational good that you enjoy? In my family, a sense of humor, a hard work ethic, and a desire to serve the Lord has been passed down through the generations. These gifts are a legacy worth carrying on; they are a blessing to my family. But, what good are these things?
We learned from Jesus in Matthew 25 that talents were to be invested for the Kingdom in His parable of the ten talents, but what of our legacy gifts?
Scholars believe that the great value of the oil that the woman (identified as Mary from Bethany in the Gospel of John) pours on the head of Jesus indicates that it may have been a generational heirloom.* In the moment of her anointing Jesus, she wasn’t just pouring out something of wealth that belonged to her. She was pouring out the wealth of her family. Think about the extravagance of that gift!
Generations upon generations may have held onto this treasure for a special occasion, and this was it. The disciples may have expressed disapproval of the use of the monetary value of the gift, but the legacy value of the gift was not lost on Jesus. Only Jesus could see the true beauty of the gift, and it made the moment of anointing that much more special.
There are things in your life that have value. The truth is that those around you and even those who know you may see some of that value. You may see that value as well, though to a greater degree. Jesus sees in you and in the gift even more, and only He can appreciate the true value. When we give all that we are and all that we have to Him, we are giving Him a treasure.
Scholars tell us that in the time of Jesus, anointing of the head with oil of a guest was not unheard of. Anointing the head with precious, costly oil from India passed down for generations in preparation for the greatest act of love in eternity… that was unheard of.*
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to give Him what you have. Perhaps there are things in your life or gifts and talents that God wants you to give to Him today. Maybe He would like to show you the real value of who He made you to be. Perhaps He wants to show you the legacy gifts of your family.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 646–650, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt Mt 26:6–13).) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).