Broken and Poured Out

"While he [Jesus] was in Bethany... A woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head." - Mark 14:3

Did you ever wonder why this woman did not just open the lid and dab a little perfume on Jesus? After all, this perfume was very expensive. the ingredient, spikenard, was an ointment imported from India. One jar of it would have cost the equivalent of a common worker's annual income. This was more than a token gesture; this was a sacrificial offering. At this point, we should give a name to this remarkable woman. Her act of anointing Jesus is found in Matthew, Mark, and John. Only John tells us that she was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. She appears four times in the gospels, three times she is found at the feet of Jesus. Perhaps Mary knew what real worship was all about, and she demonstrated that for us.

Mary did not use just a portion of the perfume to anoint Jesus. She did not try to keep any of it for herself; instead, she broke the box, and poured out all the perfume, eliminating any possibility of its being saved for another occasion. So many worship the Lord with all kinds of reservations and restrictions. They make a great demonstration of their token gifts, but they keep the greater part of their lives for themselves. They may give to God an hour or two each week, but the rest belongs to them. They may give to God a small percentage of their income, but they retain the greater part for self-interest. Such people know nothing of true worship and do not understand what total commitment means.

This broken jar and poured out perfume is a beautiful word picture of the disciple who is willing to give all to the Lordship of Christ. This is significant because a broken vessel can no longer retain its contents. It's powerless to withhold; therefore, it freely spills out all that is within. This is the purpose of the breaking. It is not so God can take pleasure in our pain. The pain is part of the process when we are broken, but it is not the purpose. The goal is to allow the sweet aroma of a spirit-filled life to fill the air, and the nostrils of God. before you complain that the price is too great, remember that Jesus held nothing back. He gave Himself for our sins with no reservations, no restrictions. On a cruel cross, He was broken and spilled out and used up for us.

Ephesians 5:2 - "...Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

The unbelieving world needs to smell the fragrance of a broken vessel to the Lord instead of the faint whiff of partial commitment. God always works best out of broken vessels. Allow Christ to release your full fragrance and it will be a sweet smell in the nostrils of God.

(- portions of this article was written by Gene Strother)