And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? Mark 14:4
A missionary was walking slowly down the street, lame from his many years of struggles and deprivation among the people he sought to present with the Gospel. He was weak and tired, and it cost him much pain to proceed along the sidewalk to his destination. Suddenly an old man appeared in front of him and spoke his name. It was one of his teachers from his youth. The teacher remarked at how weak and sickly he appeared, and wondered what he had been doing for the past decades. When the teacher learned that the man had been serving on a strife-torn mission field, he exclaimed, ‘What a waste! You were one of my most promising students; you could have achieved greatness.’ The missionary contemplated a moment and then smiled. ‘I have no regrets. I have poured out my life for the most worthy cause I know. I could not possibly have done better.’
Our text tells us of the reaction to the woman who poured out the costly ointment on Jesus’ head. They thought the ointment was wasted. They failed to realize on Whom it had been poured. But as the missionary understood, nothing spent on the Lord Jesus is ever wasted. Down through the centuries, from the days of the apostles until now, faithful followers of the Lord Jesus have laid down their lives, paid with their blood for the testimony of the One who was worthy. Untold numbers of the faithful have spent their lives in service, giving up fame and wealth for the privilege of pouring out their lives for the only cause worth serving. To the world, these might appear to be a waste. But to Heaven, these were costly ointment, every drop of which brought glory to their Lord and Saviour. And they have no regrets.
There is little likelihood that you or I will face martyrdom. But we can pour out our lives in service and faithfulness. We can make ourselves to be identified with Him and His people. We can be a testimony to a starving world. We can do much more than we do. And despite wasted days and years, we can start now.
The world has its measuring stick to determine if a person’s life is worthwhile. God uses a different measure – the amount of our life that is poured out for the Lord Jesus. Only what is poured out for Him is not a waste. -Jim MacIntosh