Do What You Can

Tuesday, May 19th, 2026

5 am

Good morning! Today I am in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and John 12:1-11. Six days before the Passover Celebration began, Jesus went to Bethany. While He was there, He went to the home of Lazarus, who He had raised from the dead. They had made Him a dinner in His honor, and his sister Martha served them. Matthew and Mark tell us that it was a man named Simon, a man Jesus had previously healed of leprosy. While they were eating, Mary comes in with an alabaster jar of perfume made from the essence of nard, she opens it and anoints Jesus' feet with it. And she uses her hair to wipe His feet, and the house was filled with the fragrance. Matthew and Mark do not tell who the woman is, and they both tells us that she pours the perfume on Jesus' head instead of His feet. The disciples were indignant about what the woman had done, and scolded her harshly. Saying that the perfume cost a years wages, and she should have took it and sold it instead, and gave the money to the poor. John tells us that Judas, the disciples that betrayed Him, is the one that said this. John adds that Judas did not care for the poor because he was a thief, that would sneak and take the disciple's money, stealing it for himself. Jesus knew what the disciples were saying, and tells them to leave her alone, for she had done something good for Him. Saying that they would always have the poor among them, but they would not always have Him. She did this to prepare His body for burial, and she did what she could. He tells them that wherever the Good News is preached, they will also talk about what she did for Him. John adds that when all the people learned that Jesus had arrived and was at Lazarus's house, they flocked to see Him. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus too for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

Mary took what was most valuable to her, and used it to worship Jesus. Her anointing His head or feet was a form of worship and reverence for Jesus, her Messiah. We too should be willing to sacrifice what is most precious to us. That can be very hard to do, let go of what is most valuable to us, but we must remember that God is the one that gives us everything we have and need. And it is all temporary. Everything we have can be gone in a blink of an eye, so we must be willing to let everything go for God's sake. Holding on to Him, is the most important thing we can do.