Breaking or Closing the Box

“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whomsoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come a forehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them… Mark 14:3-10.”

Look at the contrast here between the woman and Judas, both had boxes or bags. One used their box to bless and one used it for himself and indeed complained when that box was broken in service to Christ and for Christ. So often we are like Judas, we see someone giving wholeheartedly to the work of God and we say what a waste, it could be used for such and such a thing.

This woman was commended by Jesus; indeed, his words are so true, this woman is now one who shared with millions around the world as a dynamic example of selfless service.

We have the treasure of Christ in earthen vessels, so can I ask you this question? Do you break your box of perfume or do close your box? We have treasures of the perfume of Christ, to share with the world. In another passage the perfume fills the whole house.

Remember that the perfume of Christ cannot reach a needy world, if you don’t break the box. We have the good news of Christ, but do we share it or do we hide it? 2 Corinthians 4:6-7: “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

Have you broken the box that you have containing the gospel or are you keeping the perfume of Christ, to yourself? 

God bless you, Keith