THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 26:6-13
“The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” (Matthew 26:11)
What moved this sinful woman to make this huge sacrifice for Jesus?
For the first time in her life, someone loved her as a person, not just as an object of desire.
Her sacrifice is an act of deep love and gratitude, not just religious duty.
Jesus honours her sacrifice, even though His disciples think it is a waste of money.
Jesus is not saying that we may ignore the poor if we are ‘doing it for Jesus’.
This is not a justification for building a mega-cathedral in Calcutta (the poorest of cities).
Our expressions of love for Jesus will automatically benefit the poor as well.
His death and resurrection opens the way for a lifetime of loving and blessing the poor.
As we saw in chapter 25, love for Jesus and the poor go hand in hand, to love one is to love the other.
Some Christians use this line (poor always with you) to justify limits to our compassion.
But this reveals more of their own hearts than Jesus’ heart.
We love because He first loved us; we grace others because He first graced us.
Jesus knows our heart, He knows whether we are sacrificing out of deep love, or religious duty.
May my devotion to Jesus demonstrate my love for Him AND for the poor!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, this poor woman loved You because of Your amazing compassion for her. May I be moved by the same love, and may it overflow in loving all people.