Luke 7:37-38 NIV
[37] A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. [38] As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
If you're an ardent bible study attendee then this scripture would be very familiar to you. So familiar a scripture that even unbelievers know it. It's the story of the woman with the alabaster box. A woman who poured out more than a year's wages on the feet of Christ as a form of reverence to him, not only that, washed his feet with her tears and wiped them clean with her hair.
One thing about this popular scripture is that the woman in question was a renowned prostitute,one who at her time was considered unworthy to be in the presence of noble men let alone the presence of the King of Kings.
This story has been acted on stages, preached about, memorized, debated on even but what really is the symbolism of the alabaster box and why was she chastised for it?
For today's explanation i will tell you a short story, one i am very familiar with, and i do pray you not only read it for the sake of reading a good story but that you learn from it. Learn don't sympathise with the character in the story okay?
A few years ago i met a man called God(a subtle voice in my heart who said He was the creator of the universe)or rather he met with me. It was more like a Moses and the burning bush scenario.
We got acquainted and soon i fell madly in love with him. He came at a point when i was completely downcast and unsure what was there in life for me. Only thing i had going wonderfully well was my Food business.
Our relationship began to grow and a year after He requested something huge of me with the promise that he was going to repay me. I reluctantly granted that wish by the way. Five months after he gave me way more than he took from me, although i didn't come back same way i left. "I came back broken"
One year later He requested absolute reverance and obedience from me seeing as i considered him King. It was a test of my love and devotion to him. Not that i needed to do anything more to earn his love or blessings, but that i had to prove i was truly sold out to this love of ours.
So He made a demand of me that cost me my business. The demand was one that i wouldn't be working for a period of one year, although this time i had been in consecration off social media, social gatherings and even severed ties with some friends and family.
As at the time of this request i had nothing saved up, but as always he promised to provide manna for me. (Read previous episode for more clarity) So i obliged, i proceeded to sacrifice my business, my only source of livelihood, just to honour God. I gave up the one thing that provided stability and a little comfort from the hardship of this country. I did this at a point of serious economic melt down. Fuel hiked, food stuff went up, naira notes were scarce, electricity tarrif was up and everything seemed to be increasing rapidly at the same time.
I poured out my business and source of livelihood for the King of Kings and this rendered me completely destitute. I could barely afford the things i wanted(note that i said wanted? That's cause my needs were provided for) At some point i lost my shelter and was in between homes. I stayed anywere i could find. Sold some of my properties just to get by but nothing i did was ever enough.
Friends and family thought me foolish just like they did the woman with the alabaster box. Some said what God would render you completely destitute? The God i know gives and never takes. You're just plainly stupid and are too blind to see that this God you claim to be serving is ruining you. At some point i started to believe them but *Mercy said NO!!! "Whoever gives up their life for me would gain it back a hundred fold" so he said.
I bore the pain raw as no one could understand the cost of my offering(My Alabaster box) the weight was on me cause everyone neglected me even the ones i thought would have my back called me mad and kept their distance from me. Unlike Jesus, there wasn't anyone to carry my cross with me so i carried it all by myself. No spiritually mature person around to share it with you see. I was in a period of isolation so it was just me and God. God was faithful but remember it was a test? Every test would only cease once passed so there was no way out. I repeated quite a number of times but at last i passed it finally.
After about a year and a few months i came out of it, but not the way i thought i would. I had several encounters with God on this journey that changed the trajectory of my life. Like the blind man Jesus healed in the bible i couldn't go back the same way i came. My old wineskin was torn and i was given a new wineskin. Along with that a new mandate to fulfil and a different career path one that was in perfect alignment with my calling.
I would love to tell you that i got back everything i gave up but no i didn't. Instead i am having to start from scratch again.
Went back to social media to pick up where i left off and realized the world had moved past where i was. The people looking up to me had now surpassed me in managing social media pages and most had their accounts verified.
Upcoming food vendors back then have now become the hottest kid in the block. It all felt strange to me and i felt left behind.
But in all of these i got the most priceless gift money could never buy. I got my healing from childhood traumas, generational curses broken, i got healed from years of feeling insecure, i got closure on a lot of pain i had been harbouring inside of me. Like Jesus said in Luke 7: "Woman your faith has made thee whole" Some translations say your sins are now forgiven.
I became whole internally and even externally and that my dear readers was worth more than 10 businesses put together.
Today this whole and healed version of me can build more brands successfully without self destructing.
So i leave you with this question: What is too much for you to give to your King? What is He leading you to sacrifice just to be closer to him? What might your alabaster box be?
Remember He doesn't need what you're sacrificing, you need what he's giving to you.
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