Theology

Wasteful Worship

The grace to give when generosity seems absurd

Offertory. Acrylic on Canvas. 32 x 26

Offertory. Acrylic on Canvas. 32 x 26

Susan Savage

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. — Mark 14:8-9

If there’s one thing I love, it’s an unexpected gift—whether given or received. Recently, I’ve found myself sending house guests on their way with things I’ve cherished: teapots, clothes, and even jewelry off my own person. I’ve felt the exhilaration and freedom found in the act of giving things away— things with real value. But extravagant and unexpected giving like this rarely comes from a place of natural generosity. There’s a supernatural grace at work, like the grace we see in the story of the woman with her alabaster jar (Mark 14:3–9).

I know this is grace because I’ve spent most of my life suffering from a scarcity mindset: the idea that there’s not enough to go around, and I’d be better off socking away what little I have. When I read the account of the woman anointing Jesus in the days before his crucifixion, my spirit wells with a resounding, Yes! and I wipe away tears in awe of this momentous act of worship. But I confess—and cringe as I do so—that my flesh still has the same response as those who were in the room, and I start to scrutinize her extravagance.

Against the protests of wastefulness and impropriety, Christ defends the woman, explaining to his disciples that she has prepared him for burial (v. 8). Her act of devotion and sacrifice will forever point to the Good News, and she will be remembered whenever it is proclaimed in all the world (v. 9). The woman anointing Jesus emptied out what could have been her most precious possession, pouring out her treasure for the sake of God incarnate. She anointed the Word before his burial, bringing about a tangible reminder of Jesus as the Anointed One, the long-awaited Messiah (Isaiah 61:1–3).

I imagine Jesus would still have been faintly fragrant with that oil as he was taken before Pilate. I imagine he would still have the sweet woody aroma of the nard on his hair, his beard—the lingering anointing. As he carried his cross, I wonder if the bystanders caught the fragrance, beyond the smell of sweat and blood. Perhaps they smelled a sweetness in the air as Christ ascended Golgotha. I wonder if the men nailed to their own crosses on either side of him picked up the scent.

The sign of anointing was largely reserved for kings in ancient Judaism. This woman’s bold act not only acknowledged Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, it also foreshadowed what Christ would do two days later as he poured himself out in a lavish, loving, and seemingly foolish way on the cross. By giving himself as an offering, Jesus accomplishes what we could never have done for ourselves. What can sometimes look like foolishness to us is faithfulness; what appears wasteful is worshipful.

My generosity is more a spiritual discipline than a virtue; I cannot boast in giving because it’s against the will of my flesh. God, in his kindness, both invites me to give generously and empowers me by his Spirit to do so. I’ve come to realize that in teaching me to give things away he’s healing the part of me that still believes there won’t be enough. So I boast in this weakness, and I rejoice even though I still sometimes hear the voices directed at the woman at Bethany:

“How dare you do that?”

“This is irresponsible. You are irresponsible.”

“You’re giving away what you can’t afford. And for what?”

Then comes Jesus, my defender: “She has done a beautiful thing . . . She did what she could.” And the voices hush.

Reflection Questions:



1. What is your honest response to the scandalous generosity of the woman anointing Jesus? Who would you most likely resemble in the room?

2. How does lavish generosity challenge our instincts for financial or social self-preservation?

Hannah Weidmann is the co-founder of Everyday Heirloom Co., a brand dedicated to adorning women as God’s beloved using timeless methods of craft and storytelling.

This article is part of Easter in the Everyday, a devotional to help individuals, small groups, and families journey through the 2024 Lent & Easter season. Learn more about this special issue here!

Also in this issue

Easter in the Everyday is divided into three frames, each representing a different emotional reality along the Easter journey. Through contemplating the humility of our humanness, the anticipation of hope, and the passion of love, we will experience the power of Easter in the everyday.

As Bodies Grow Cold

The Glory of Weightiness

To Be Met at the Garden Tomb

The Reflexive Response of Grace

Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us?

A Meal We Won’t Soon Forget

A Path Not for the Faint of Heart

Be Still in the Middle of the Battle

Life as a Fading Flower

Living in a Season Without Answers

Why Storms Are Necessary for Survival

Eyes on the Prize of Faithful Service

A Power Made Possible Through Sacrifice

The Fatal Fantasy

Easter in the Everyday

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