The Jar of Alabaster

Today, I was talking about a sinful woman anointed Jesus with a jar of alabaster which was filled with sweet- smelling ointment with the kids. She was a very sinful lady and nobody would welcome her because of what she had done, the mistakes and the sins that she had committed. However, this sinful woman acknowledged her sins and wanted to repent. She turned to Jesus when she got to know that Jesus was dining at Simon's place. Simon was a pharisee and he was a rude man.

In those day, they were to walk on the sand bare footed or with slippers if I'm not mistaken so the custom was whenever you invite guests to your house, you gotta serve them with a tub of water to wash their hands and feet before they enter your house; you gotta give them olive oil too to put on their hands and head and they greet each other with kiss also.

So, Simon was the one who invited Jesus to his house. But he was very rude to his guests. he did not do anything mentioned above at all. So the guests started eating without their hands and feet washed.

Back to the sinful woman, she knew that Jesus came so she grabbed her jar of alabaster, which was filled with sweet- smelling ointment, off she went to Simon's house. She went in and she felt so sorry for what she had done. So she cried and cried and cried. She was seeking help from Jesus. She washed Jesus feet with her tears and wiped them dry with her long hair. Then she kissed Jesus feet gently and poured the sweet- smelling ointment on his feet.

Simon, whom was a very fussy person, of course he was not happy to have this sinful lady in his house or even near it. He was wondering why Jesus, who claimed that He is God, would allow this sinful woman to get near Him, worse still, to kiss his feet. Jesus heard him and Jesus explained to Him by telling him a little story. He said two man owed another man money, one with big sums and the other with small sums. Both of them couldn't afford to pay their debts, but the man had forgiven them both. He asked him which of these two would love the other man most?

Simon replied," I suppose the one who was forgiven most."

Then Jesus said," Do you see this woman? She is far more kind and loving than you have been. When I came into your house, you didn't give Me any water to wash My feet, but she washed them with her tears. You didn't give me a kiss of welcome, but she has even been kissing My feet. You didn't pour cheap and ordinary oil on My head, as i s usually done, but she poured costly ointment on My feet. So her many sins are forgiven because she has loved me so much."

This is roughly the story.

I really wondered how much tears she had shed to have Jesus' feet washed. I really wonder. She needed to be real humble to kiss Jesus' feet. How many of us can do that, do not talk about kiss, we may not even be able to wash each other feet. And I felt that some times we can be like Simon. He disliked Jesus so he treated him with less courteous. We may treat people whom we dislike bad too. We can hurt them with words, with our action and with out attitude towards that relationship. We often reject or avoid people like ex- drug addicts or ex- prostitute, people with AIDS and people with disabilities. Some of us may even reject our own family members because of who they are, their lowly paid jobs and their background.

If we can start appreciating people and things around us regardless of their background, their condition, we will surely find that this world is full of love. When we start accepting each other, we are making a difference to that particular person's life. When we start giving thanks to God for what He has provided for us, we will always feel contented and would not yield to temptation easily. We know who we are and we'll clearly see the purpose of our life on earth. Because those earthly things will no longer blind our eyes.