Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 12:1-9
Our next example begins with a woman who had a box of very precious ointment. If we study all our Scriptures for this lesson, we see that this lady is Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. She used the expensive ointment to anoint the Lord. Judas and some of the disciples wanted to correct her for using such expensive oil. Judas said it could be sold and used for the poor. We are told in John 12:6 that Judas really wasn’t interested in the poor, but instead was interested in how much money the oil could bring them. The Lord corrected Judas and the others and said in Mark 14:6,
“… Let her alone; why trouble you her? she hath wrought a good work on me.”
The Lord went further to say of her in Mark 14:8 “She hath done what she could.” We can ask ourselves have we “done what we could?” I often hear someone say that if they just had a talent like someone else, they would surely use it for the Lord. I heard a young person say one time that if he just had a lot of money, he would give it to help the work at the church. The Lord has never told us to do something we aren’t able to do, nor has He asked us to give what we don’t have. We are to be like Mary in our lesson today and do what we can. If we just do what we can, and do it all for His glory, it can be said of us, “She has done what she could.”
I have known several elderly ladies who always saw little things that needed to be done, and without any seeking of glory they would perform these little deeds. Two of these ladies have gone on to be with the Lord now; and often I see little things around the church that need to be done, and I think of them, and how important their ministry was. They would think they weren’t doing anything important, but often what we consider small things, are the important things that help to have a good and profitable service for the Lord. When I think of these ladies, I remember that the Lord said, “She has done what she could.”
