The woman who broke her perfume

Jesus writes: 'the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 

How often do you feel like something would be a really good idea for someone else and you don't do it? How often do you feel like you're ready to make a commitment to Christ but don't end up doing it because there are things that are holding you back?

Personally, I feel this all the time. I see someone and I feel like I should talk to them, help them, or maybe serve them in any sort of way possible, but I don't end up doing it...

I believe that the goal should be to have our flesh become just as willing as the spirit. 

When you have actually done what you felt like the right thing to do was, how good do you feel? It's one of the most freeing and fulfilling feelings out there. I think that feeling is because we know what we did was a victory.

Whenever out flesh becomes as willing as the spirit, it's a way to show obedience to God. 

In Mark 14 there was a woman who anointed Jesus with perfume....This woman won the battle I just talked about it. The spirit was willing and she did what she felt like the right thing to do was...

The woman had a very expensive alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume of Jesus' head.

When she did that there were some people in the house who thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever...why waste an expensive jar of perfume? That perfume could have been sold for more than a year's wages....and the guests in the house (other than Jesus) told her she could've given that many to the poor..

With all the commotion going on, Jesus instructed everyone to leave her alone.

"Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare me for 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 14:6-9)

I believe that sometimes our flesh is so weak because we care what other people around us think.

This story clearly shows that Jesus always has our backs when we go ahead and do something that we know deep down is the right thing to do. This lady does have a little advantage over us, she can actually hear God affirming her for what she has done, whereas we don't really have that luxury. We have to have faith every time we do something like this, that God has our backs.

It's cool how Jesus stuck up for her when the others thought she was crazy. What God thinks is the only opinion of anyone that we should ever be concerned about...

One of the coolest parts about this scripture is that Jesus told everyone that this story of the woman would be told whenever the gospel is preached...One simple and willing act ended up being more significant than the lady could have ever imagined...

My favorite part of what Jesus said was this...'she did what she could.'

The spirit is never asking us to do anything super extravagant and out of his power. The spirit is simply asking us to do what we can. 

That is my encouragement to you as you read this post today. 

'Do what you can.' 

Win the battle between the spirit and the flesh on a daily basis. I promise you it's going to be worth it...and the fulfillment that you are going to feel is something I cannot even put words to do. 

It's such an addicting feeling... you are just going to want to keep doing super awesome obedient things over and over and over again. 

It won't be easy...that is for sure. There are still times where the spirit is strong and my flesh is weak, but the battle is becoming a little easier day by day.