"And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." (Luke 7:37, 38)
Each person on this earth is given an alabaster box of sorts, each is different in its own way and the contents is the same. Some contain the oil of joy and others hold the burnt ashes of sacrifices long ago given to God. Still others bear the weight of shame and sins that need to be let go and forgotten, poured out upon the feet of the only one that can cleans, forgive, and save. However, to me, this passage means so much more than just the message of the alabaster box, it goes to the depth of the feelings of repentance that Mary had as she entered the room. The fact that she didn't stop and leave when the looks of indignation began to beat upon her. She didn't just empty her box of precious ointments and hope that it was enough. She also washed his feet with her tears and beyond that, she dried them with her glory. She was a sinner, despised by all around, and the only portion of glory she possessed she used to wipe the dung and mud from Jesus' feet. The true message here is not just what she gave, but the spirit she gave it in. She humbled herself as low as she could, in the hope that she might just touch the Master's feet. She came and counted all that she had to be nothing more that water to wash with and her glory as a rag. She knew that her heart was darkened with sin and her life was nothing in his sight, but it was this spirit of true repentance that Jesus Christ saw. The love she possessed a love for him and the acknowledgment that he was greater than her. So touched was Jesus by this fact that the testimony of her sacrifice was granted a type of immortality, so that "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)
In today's society we have forgotten the lesson of Mary and are choosing rather the spirit of Simon [Luke 7:44-50]. We tend to think that just because we have asked Jesus to come and dwell within us that we are greater than those that seek to merely touch his feet. Yet, when he comes in we forget to kiss his head and give him no water to wash his feet. We seek to make our glory something that he can see and something we can set forth before him to eat, but we need to realize that our righteousness is nothing but filthy rags in his sight (Isa. 64:6). To humbly come before him and seek to be nothing except his willing and obedient servants. This is our way out of sin, shame, and death, this is our way to forgiveness. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." (II Chron. 7:14, 15) |
