Fools for Christ!
“Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
The disciples were indignant when they saw this. ‘What a waste!’ they said. ’It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.’
But Jesus, aware of this, replied, ’Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.’”
–Matthew 26:6–13
“She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.” –Mark 14:8
I love this passage, and I love this woman. And when I get to verse 13, I am asking the question, why did Jesus say that what she did will be remembered and discussed whenever the good news is preached throughout the whole world? What does Jesus want the world to know about her? What does he want us to know or remember?
Three words come to mind as I have meditated on this beautiful interaction at Simon’s table. Extravagant. Sacrificial. Risky. Consider the following:
She is compelled to make an offering of what was likely a very expensive family heirloom and “waste” it on Jesus (Extravagant).
She must get to Jesus, so she (a woman with a tainted past reputation) finds him at Simon’s house and, uninvited, walks right in (Risky).
She breaks open the beautiful jar (never to be used again) and pours the perfume all over Jesus’s head (Sacrificial).
She doesn’t care what the others say to her. In Matthew’s account, the disciples even “scolded” her! Her extravagant, sacrificial love for Jesus made her take a huge risk to demonstrate that love to him. Nothing mattered, not even her reputation. She didn’t know how Jesus would respond or what he was about to say. She didn’t even know if he’d approve of what she was going to do. She was just so grateful for all he did to set her free of her many layers of brokenness and bondage, she had to respond to the good news that she had experienced! Plus, she didn’t even know that her act of devotion was preparing him for burial, an action that reached beyond her grateful response of love for Jesus!
So, here’s a question for you: What might be an extravagant, sacrificial, and even risky act of love that you could offer to Jesus, in response to how the good news has impacted your life?
I have had the pleasure and honor of visiting several of our teams on the field over these past few months, and I have witnessed this quality of sacrificial devotion to Jesus by so many of our Novo staff. Our missionaries, you, have given your very lives, and sacrificed much, to share and be the good news to the people that he has sent you to. What an incredible offering you have made in response to this Love.
Here's something to think about…
Is there something you could do today in response to God’s generous act of love toward you, that might make people think you are a little bit crazy for doing it? Or even scold you for your act of extravagant love toward the Lover of your soul, the One who set you free and gave his very life for you? Well, some might say that we are all a little bit crazy as it is anyway, so why not be so for the sake of worship, devotion, and service to our King? As John Wimber used to say, “If I’m going to be anyone’s fool, I’ll be a fool for Christ!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prior to joining Novo in 2014, Jill Randall enjoyed a multifaceted career serving as a high school special education teacher, director of the Life Equipping Community (a holistic equipping ministry for emerging leaders), as well as working with her husband, Bill, to found and lead several disciple-making churches. After joining Novo, Jill leveraged her three decades of ministry experience to design and oversee a unique shepherd/care ministry for Novo’s front-line workers that has impacted the whole organization. Jill and Bill love their new role serving together on the Novo Lead Team as Co-Directors of the Gospel Movement Teams division. She also helps to lead the Resource Team Division regarding care. They continue to spend much of their time equipping and coaching leaders and teams serving around the world helping them flourish in their missional contexts. Jill and Bill live in Boise, ID close to their three married kids and six grandchildren.
