A Beautiful Love, A Beautiful Sacrifice

Many people offered different things to Jesus. A woman, whom we can see in Matthew 16:7, offered Him an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. Jesus appreciated her and said, "It is a beautiful thing."

Next, we see another gesture that looks beautiful but is actually a very vicious thing. Yes, Judas kissed Jesus to betray Him (Matthew 26:48). Jesus's reply to him was, "Friend, do what you came for." He knew Judas’s intentions too. Then we have the soldiers giving Him wine mixed with gall to drink. But Jesus refused to drink it (Matthew 27:34).

Later, we have a nameless person who offered Jesus wine vinegar in Matthew 27:48, when He was in great pain and agony.

What do these represent?

The alabaster jar was mostly made of marble, sealed with a long neck that had to be broken off to anoint the guest at a feast. It was equal to a year’s wages. Jesus saw her devotion and her willingness to give Him something of great value. She did it when Jesus was not honored with anointing oil by the host.

On the other hand, we have Judas, who betrayed Jesus by turning an act of love into a symbol of betrayal. How is our love for Jesus? Do we love Him with our words and lips like Judas, or do we love Him with the best we’ve got? Can Jesus see a beautiful thing in us, or would He see betrayal when we come to Him with a kiss?

When Jesus was given gall—a crude relief offered to ease the pain of crucifixion—He refused it, choosing instead to endure the full suffering. When we go through suffering, do we seek ways to escape it, or do we endure it as God’s will? Do we even see suffering as part of God’s will in our Christian life? May we learn from Jesus to walk through the painful path—a path of suffering—when He allows it.

We also see another group who gave vinegar to mock Jesus’s pain. How do we react when our fellow brothers and sisters are in agony? May God help us to comfort them and never to mock their suffering.

Let's decide what will be our offering to our savior. When we see our alabaster jar, let Him see love, joy, holiness, peace, long-suffering, and patience.

This whole thing makes me remember a testimony from my Dad's life. In 1991, the year of my birth, my dad went to a church where the beloved pastor Clarence Marudhaiya asked for an offering to buy a vehicle for the church ministry. When my dad saw the church being quiet, he stood up and immediately said he would give a generous sum of money. In a very similar way, when he was very young, a missionary came and asked who was willing to dedicate their lives as missionaries for Christ's sake. He saw that the whole church went quiet. He thought, "This cannot be happening. God deserves to be honored," and he stood up and dedicated his life. When he passed away, his designation in the church ministry was "Missionary." God honored him, the cheerful giver, by helping him finish the race as His faithful servant.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your love. May we learn from You to endure suffering and pain. May we be a shelter of comfort to those who go through pain and agony. May we love You with true love. May what we offer to You be gifts that honor You. May we never manipulate or live a life of hypocrisy, thinking we can deceive You with our acts like Judas.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.