She Has Done What She Could

Essential oils from plants have been around for a long time. Spikenard is a flowering plant commonly found today in the hills of the Himalayas. It has little pink bell-shaped flowers, and the underground stems of the plant can be ground to make oil. Back in ancient times, oil of spikenard was used in the incense burned in the temples. Very precious and very expensive.

During that time, other essential oils and perfumes were used to prepare bodies for burial. This was carried out by female family members or very close friends of the deceased. The women carefully washed the body, anointed it with perfumes and oils and wrapped it in clean cloth. It was the last act of compassion a woman could perform for someone she loved.

Just a couple of days before the Passover, the powers that be were strategizing on how to eliminate this radical known as Jesus of Nazareth. He was still alive and well and having dinner at the home of his friend Simon. A woman appeared at the door carrying an alabaster box. The box itself was quite expensive, but what she had inside was of even more value. Oil of spikenard.

Wordlessly, she walked over to Jesus. She broke the box and lavishly poured all the oil on his head and gently rubbed it in. The people around her were shocked at such a reckless act and they began to tell her so. One person said it could be sold and all the money obtained for it would buy a lot of food for the poor. The box itself was costly, the oil in it even more so. Such a waste.

Jesus told them to leave her alone, and he went on to explain that she was preparing him for his death. Some of those close to Jesus were in denial about his upcoming death. The woman was not. He said, "She has done what she could."

She had a gift, and she used it. All of it. Jesus understood and appreciated what she was doing, but the others? Not so much. How would it feel to know that one of the dearest friends in the world to you was headed for an unfair, gruesome, and excruciatingly painful death? I think I would feel sad and angry and frustrated, but mostly impotent. Women in those days had very little power; in fact, we don't even know the name of this woman. But she did what she could, which was at once an act of loving devotion, and an act of significant rebellion. Those in power might kill her friend, but not before she had shown him the honor he deserved. She used her gift to make a statement. She did what she could.

It seems to me that we sometimes hide our gifts from the world and don't use them to the fullest. Or maybe not at all. The truth is, not everyone will want what we have to give. Some might refuse our gift, or criticize us for the way we use it. Not everyone will understand. Not everyone will praise us. But that should never stop us from doing what we can.

Susan