The disciples thought they were being practical. The woman had poured expensive perfume on Jesus' head, and they scolded her for wasting money that could have helped the poor. But Jesus immediately stopped them. "Leave her alone," he said. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me."
This moment reveals something crucial about how we relate to Christ. The disciples measured the woman's action by utility: how many poor people could have been fed with that money? Jesus measured it by love: this woman understood who he was and responded with extravagant devotion. She wasn't calculating costs. She was worshiping.
We often make the same mistake the disciples made. We turn Christianity into a checklist of duties and practical applications. We ask, "What good can I do with my time and money?" That's not wrong, but it's incomplete. The woman shows us that sometimes the right response to Jesus is simply to worship him without counting the cost. Sometimes we pour out our best simply because he is worthy.
This passage also shows us Jesus' heart. He defends his people when they're misunderstood. The disciples attacked her, but Jesus protected her. He does the same for us when we face criticism for putting him first. When you choose worship over worldly wisdom, when you give generously to his work, when you prioritize time with him over other good things, he takes notice. He remembers.
What would it look like for you to stop calculating and start worshiping? Maybe it's giving more than feels comfortable to support gospel work. Maybe it's spending time in prayer when you could be productive. Maybe it's serving in ways that seem wasteful to the world. The woman teaches us that Jesus is worth whatever we pour out for him.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for measuring everything by worldly standards. Teach us to worship you without counting the cost. Help us to pour out our best for you, knowing that what seems like waste to the world is beautiful in your sight. Amen.
