“Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil ³⁸ and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil.” Luke 7:36-38

She probably risked it all to be there.  Her presence alone made others uneasy.  She was not the sort of woman who they liked hanging around them.  But she had a purpose.  She was going to seize the moment. Nothing and no one could have stopped her from pouring the contents of her bottle on the feet of the Lord.  Once every drop was extracted, she mixed it with her tears and washed His feet.  The thing is, that little bottle caused an uproar.  “Wasted!” was the cry. “Why she could have sold it and given it to the poor. “ Others judged.  But He knew, that what was pouring out was really her heart, and He received it readily, taking it with Him to the cross.   By doing so, He set her free for the first time in her life.

It is a familiar story I know.   But have you ever heard a story with fresh ears?  When suddenly, where you are in your life intersects with the all too familiar and it is made new?  This happened to me the other day as this passage of scripture was once again lifted from Luke chapter 7.   This time, however, I learned something new. Did you know that it was customary for the host to have a bottle like this in his home to sprinkle on the feet of those who entered? It was a gesture to welcome guest into his home.  One bottle would have probably lasted at least a year.

But in this story Jesus Himself says that the host did not even give Him water to wash His feet when he entered. I’m guessing that no water, meant no perfume either.  So even the customary traditions had been forgotten this time.  Who knows why.  Maybe the host was too busy to be bothered with silly traditions.  Maybe he had more important things to do.

Purposeful.  Broken. Poured out.
Distracted. Negligent. Prideful.

One anointed the Lamb of God, and one missed the chance of a lifetime.

Father, my desire is to be pouring myself out, humbly every day.  I want to make the most of every moment.  And more than anything, I want to be faithful and part of a bigger plan.  I want to give you my all and see You turn around and make it beautiful.