Mar 14:3-9 NKJV
And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Greg Fritz was speaking to the Ministry School of Charis Bible College this year and he shared a powerful thought along the lines of this scripture.
This woman gave a huge gift to the Lord that day. Her gift came to 300 Denarii. That is roughly $54,509 US Dollars. In short, she gave a year’s worth of wages to Jesus in one moment of time.
As we see from the reactions of the disciples (most likely Judas), this lavish gift was deemed excessive, wasteful and impractical.
This leads me back to Greg’s encouragement to our class. In the earlier years of his ministry, he sensed the Lord had called him to the back country of Arkansas to help a friend dig holes for his construction company.
This confused Greg because he also sensed a call on his life to minister the Gospel of Jesus.
How could God ever use him on these desolate worksites far from society and even further from influence and notoriety?
It was during this time that Greg had a revelation that his life was not his own. He came to himself and said this phrase that still resonates with me today, “Lord, this is your life to waste!”
What was Greg saying?
He realized, that it was God’s choice alone to determine how He might use the gifts and talents of Greg Fritz. Greg’s life and all of his potential was truly the Lord’s bounty to use for mighty exploits or cast away in the back country of Arkansas.
“This is your life to waste as you see fit.” My life is not my own
Let us return to that woman with the costly oil.
She had a revelation that offended the bystanders that day.
Her actions were perceived as wasteful and reckless and irresponsible.
But…
It was the Lord’s oil to waste as He saw fit.
Jesus did not agree with the critics that day. He honored her lavish gift. He praised her for having the faith and humility to give so offensively.
I believe I am speaking to those of you who feel God has called you to ministry. I want to encourage you that your faithfulness to the call will be honored by Jesus. Friends and family may not see the sense in wasting your gifts and talents on some thankless, dead-end career of ministry; but Jesus honors you.
Our success, on that day we stand before the Lord Jesus, will not be measured by our followers on social media, the money we accumulated, the people we reached or the ministries we started.
Our success will be weighed by this one question from our Lord, “Did you do what I asked you to do?”
May we all have the faith and humility of that woman!
What is your very costly oil?
Are you willing to pour it out for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus?
Feel the pleasure of your Lord today.
Despite the critic’s appraisal of your obedience, receive the honor of your King.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
You are not your own. The potential of your life is the Lord’s to invest and waste.
What is competing for your sold-out obedience to Jesus today?
Trust the Holy Spirit to help you to say yes to His plan for you.
Trust the goodness of God and be poured out for His glory.
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