She Did What She Could

Hi friends, this is Alisa Morgan from Our Daily Bread and I have the privilege of sharing today's devotional encouragement with you that I titled, She Did What She Could. She loaded the plastic container of cupcakes onto the conveyor belt, sending it toward the cashier. Next came the birthday card and various bags of chips. Hair escaped from her ponytail, crowning her fatigued forehead. Her toddler clamored for attention. The clerk announced the total and the mom's face fell.

Oh, I guess I'll have to put something back, but these are for her party, she sighed, glancing regretfully at her child. Standing behind her in the line, another customer recognized such pain. Jesus' words to Mary of Bethany echoed in her mind, she did what she could. Mark 14 verse 8. After anointing him with a bottle of expensive nard before his death and burial, Mary was ridiculed by the disciples. Jesus corrected his followers by celebrating what she had done. He didn't say, she did all she could, but rather, she did what she could. The lavish cost of the perfume wasn't his point. It was Mary's investment of her love in action that mattered.

A relationship with Jesus results in a response. In that moment, before the mom could object, the second customer leaned forward and inserted her credit card into the reader, paying for the purchase. It wasn't a large expense and she had extra funds that month, but to that mom, it was everything. A gesture of pure love poured out in her moment of need.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Mark chapter 14 verses 3 through 9. While he was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, why this waste of perfume?

It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor, and they rebuked her harshly. Leave her alone, said Jesus. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you and you can help them anytime you want, but you will not always have me. She did what she could.

She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly, I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Let's pray. Father, open our eyes to see how you might be inviting us to do what we can each day for you. In Jesus' name, amen.