WELCOME
Nikki Derouin
Last week I came across a "message sticker" in the scrapbook section of a dollar store. I had seen the sentiment before, but this time it made a slightly different impact on me. I knew the verse I was assigned to do for this article and was looking for something to encourage a direction. When I saw the sticker, it reminded me of the assigned verse for this article. As soon as I thought of the verse, I reread the sticker and was convicted of my own shortcomings. Many of us have read this section of scripture, but I encourage you to read it again .
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as [Christ] sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, "Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor." And they murmured against her.
And Jesus said, "Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." (Mark 14:3-9)
Here is what the sticker said:
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything You gave me.'" - Erma Bombeck
Imagine what the woman in Mark would have felt if she had failed to use the ointment she had. Would she have felt satisfied at the end of her life when she thought, "Well at least I still have this costly ointment"?
What are we holding on to now that we will regret having held back from the Lord when we reach the end of our lives? Christ's disciples murmured against the woman because she let go of a costly possession, yet how many more have been encouraged by this woman's act of generosity? Not only had she helped anoint Christ for his burial; she was reassured by Christ in her willingness to give.
Long after the sticker company stops printing their collection of stickers; the woman who gave to the Lord will continue to be praised.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." (Mark 14:9)
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
All Scripture is taken from the NKJ Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson,Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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