Unbridled Generosity

Day 39: Matthew 25:31-46, 26:1-13

“But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.’” - Matthew 26:10 ESV

I am a practical thinker. I got it from my dad. He could almost be compared to a miser. Always looking for a cost-efficient way to do something, never replacing anything unless it absolutely needs it. Yet when it comes to generosity, my dad isn't like that. I tried to pin him down once by asking what percentage he and Mom give to the church from their income (I know, super personal question). He actually said he had started at 10% when they got married and climbed from there and wasn't quite sure what it was now.

My Dad? The miser? With unbridled generosity? Mind blown.

All of us, if we are honest, cringe a little bit (or a lot) when we see what this woman (Mary of Bethany) did to prepare Jesus for his burial. This ointment that she used is identified by Mark and John as “nard,” an extremely expensive luxury that was imported from India (used especially for anointing the dead).

With this extravagant gift, many believe she was also declaring to everyone that she believed that this man was the Messiah.

How about our generosity? Does it clip the bare minimum, or would others question our sanity to learn how much we are giving?

We will regret many things in this life, but being generous toward God is not one of them.

I'll let H.D.M. Spence close us today with these powerful words: "A work that proved her zeal, reverence, and faith. Mary had always been devout, contemplative, loving. She had learned much at the grave of Lazarus; she was full of gratitude at the wonderful restoration of her brother’s life; she had often heard Christ speak of his decease, and knew that it was close at hand, realizing that which the chosen apostles were still slow to believe; so she was minded to make this costly offering. And Christ saw her motive, and graciously accepted it.” - Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). St. Matthew (Vol. 2, p. 516)