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In the New Testament, there are two accounts of a woman with an alabaster jar of expensive ointment that she anoints Jesus with.

In Luke Chapter 7 Jesus is at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. This woman finds out Jesus is there and comes in with an alabaster jar of ointment and she knelt at His feet crying, washing His feet with her tears and wiping them off with her hair and anoints his feet with the ointment.

The Pharisee who invited Jesus over to eat is watching this and says to himself, “This man, if  he were a prophet, would have known what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him, for she is a sinner”.  (italics mine)

Of course, Jesus knows what Simon is thinking and used that thought to open a teaching on forgiveness. He who has been forgiven much, loves much…

Let’s not focus on Simon’s rudeness to the Master instead, let’s look at this unnamed woman. When she heard that Jesus was in town having dinner with Simon she came bringing what may have been her most valued possession. We have no idea what she did to earn this alabaster box or the ointment it contained or how long she worked and saved to buy it. All we know is that she brought it the minute she found out Jesus was present.

Considering what Simon was thinking about the woman I can only imagine that when she entered the dining room everyone stared. I doubt she was warmly welcomed or even greeted by this text. I can feel the oppressiveness of walking into a room where you are not wanted…

But she was undeterred and made her way to the guest of honor where she unashamed, dropped to her knees and started to weep and care for Jesus’s feet.

Not a word is recorded until Jesus responds to Simon’s thought that doubts Him and disparages her. After Jesus presents Simon and the others with a parable on forgiveness Jesus then tells Simon to look at the woman. The woman had properly honored him and cared for Him as a guest when Simon did not.

Jesus says that, “Her sins which are many, are forgiven: for she has loved much.” And then goes on to tell her, “Thy faith has saved thee; go in peace.”

We never learn who this woman is, or what she did other than anoint Jesus’s feet.
But I see a woman who brought all she had, her very best, walked through a room of hostiles and did what she knew in her heart she had to do. She honored her Savior with her very best, sacrificed it all despite public disapproval and distain.

So, what is in your alabaster box?

What are you willing to bring to the Savior and lay at His feet?

What will you walk through to get to Him?

Bring your very best, bring all you are and all you have.
Because He is waiting for you with forgiveness and peace.

Luke 7: 36-50