As we approach the end of Women’s History Month, we can honor the legacy of some dedicated Christian women and missionaries. Their sacrifices to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in places far from their homes can inspire us to grow our own faith.
 |
by Barbara Latta
Jesus has been invited to dinner at a Pharisee’s house. The
table, more than likely, is surrounded by important guests and dignitaries.
Then one of the Pharisees
asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to
eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus
sat at the table in the Pharisees house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant
oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and she began to wash His feet
with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His
feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. (Luke 7:36-38 NKJV)*
As they recline at the table, their feet are stretched out
behind them.
A woman approaches carrying a box carved from alabaster and
filled with expensive, fragrant perfume.
She stands quietly behind Jesus. She kneels, breaks the seal
on the box, and pours the oil on His feet.
She doesn’t look at the Savior as tears of repentance
flow from her eyes and drip on His toes.
As she looks down, her hair flows across her face and touches
His ankles. She moves her hands down the strands of hair smoothing the perfume
across His feet.
She bends down and her lips touch the feet that trod dusty miles
throughout Galilee.
Her actions cause quite a stir among the dinner guests. The
host is indignant and starts to doubt the validity of his guest of honor. The
Pharisee thinks the man at the table surely doesn’t know who is touching Him or
He wouldn’t permit such a display of affection.
Instead of rebuking the woman, Jesus corrects the owner of the house with a parable.
Jesus taught the party goers what love really meant.
The woman with the alabaster box displayed the ultimate
act of devotion and worship because she realized how much she was loved and
forgiven.
Her devotion to Jesus superseded the fear of condemnation
she knew she would receive by appearing in this room full of men who knew her
sins.
The Difference Between the Sinful Woman and the Pharisee
Jesus made His point through a story regarding forgiven debts.
But to whom little is forgiven the same loves little. (Luke
7:47).
The truth is Simon the Pharisee’s sins were great also. He
was filled with hypocrisy and pride.
He just didn’t acknowledge that he needed forgiveness, so he
didn’t receive any.
We all are forgiven much. But our ability to live in the
free gift of grace and mercy depends upon our repentance and acknowledgment
that we need that forgiveness.
Once the revelation of how much we are loved penetrates
our hearts, we will love much too (1 John 4:19).
The broken flask means she opened the seal on the jar. She
poured the oil upon Him like the Holy Spirit poured out upon Him after His
baptism.
Because the seal of His body was opened at the cross, the
fragrance of His adoration toward us flowed out. His sacrifice opened the way
for the oil of the Holy Spirit to flow upon us.
The woman in this story didn’t have a name, just like the
woman with the issue of blood we talked about on March 4.
But she is so important. It doesn’t matter that we don’t
know her name. She gave us the example of an unselfish gift that has lasted for
centuries.
Today, Jesus doesn’t physically sit before us even though He
is with us through the Holy Spirit. We can’t open a bottle of perfumed oil and
pour on His head.
How can we follow this woman’s example? What is our
alabaster flask? What is our sacrifice of devotion and worship?
Romans 12:1 NKJV tells us the answer.
I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
When we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, we break
the seal on the flask of our flesh. We can then pour out our holy worship to
the King of kings who saved us through His broken body.
When we believe and follow Him, He says the same thing to us
He said to the woman in our story. “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
(Luke 7:50)
During Women’s History Month, I feel it is important to
remember women like this one. A woman who took a bold step of faith and gave
Christ the most precious gift of all—herself.
As Titus 2 women, this is what we are all called to do.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
*This incident in Luke is not the same instance when Mary,
the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus with costly perfume as told in John
12:1-2 and Mark 14:3-9.
In Luke 7:36-39, the woman is called a sinner, whereas, Mary,
the sister of Lazarus, was never referred to that way. Adam Clark’s commentary
on these scriptures states that the word sinner could mean she was of a
heathen country and not a Jew, rather than what some interpret as a prostitute.
A person from one of these lands would most probably have an idol worshipping
background thus the reference to her many sins.
by Barbara Latta
Do you groan every time you read the 31st chapter of Proverbs?
Does that out-of-reach pinnacle persecute your self-esteem?
We read about this woman who appears to have no faults. She
works night and day and never makes a mistake. She makes money, she is kind,
and she is praised.
The comparison demon tells us we don’t measure up so why
try.
But is the Proverbs 31 woman perfect?
by Barbara Latta
March is Women’s History Month. Each week this month we will
explore the lives of women in history or the Bible who have inspired us with
their examples.
The Bible gives us the names of many women whose courage and faith blessed generations. But we also find some in Scripture who are not named.
 |
| How the temptations of Jesus compare to the temptations of Adam |
What did our Savior mean when he prayed, “lead us not into
temptation?”
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil
one. (Matthew
6:12 NKJV)
We know the Son of God didn’t pray a prayer that couldn’t be
answered.
Then why are we tempted?
Because it is the devil, our enemy, who does the tempting to
get us to fall.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God;” for
God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one
is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (James 1:13-14)
How do the temptations of Jesus compare to the temptations of Adam?
by Barbara Latta
Each birthday cake we cut boasts an additional candle that wasn’t stuck in the icing the year before.
Time passes and we may start to re-evaluate our lives.
Questions rise in our minds, “What have I done with all these years?”
“I’m too old now to start anything new.”
We can fall into the trap of thinking our lives have no
purpose any longer.
Regret about not completing goals from the past may bombard
our minds and make us feel worthless.
But this is not God’s plan. He wants us to live a limitless life as we grow older.
Flowers are the most popular Valentine’s Day gift. Florists
work tirelessly to fill orders and deliver the precious floral displays of
love.
The perfume of flowers permeates the air in rooms where they are displayed. Vases overflow with colorful blooms decorated with shiny
ribbons. Delivery drivers take special care to ensure their precious cargo
arrives at the destination with no damage.
Doorbells ring and excited recipients receive the expensive
and beautiful presentations which express love and affection. Oohs and aahs
followed by toothy smiles greet the delivery person.
But what if you opened the door and instead of a crystal vase filled with abundant blooms you received a box of rose petal pieces? Would you think that gift reflected love?
