These 2 settings of Scripture document 2 different instances when a precious alabaster box was broken and poured over Jesus’ head. Theologians note these 2 accounts were almost 2 years apart. The oil was worth approximately a man’s full year’s wages. Regardless of the cost, 1 woman would pour out the oil for what Jesus had done for her, and 1 poured the oil for what Jesus would do.
Both women had different reasons behind their sacrifice, but they both poured out the oil because they were thankful. And, because of their thankfulness, they poured out their most prized possession. How grateful do we need to be before we make the ultimate sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is an offering every one of us has at our disposal. We all have the potential to break open our box and pour it at the feet of Jesus.
A Released Fragrance
When the box of alabaster was broken, a fragrance was released into the room. Smell is the only sense that can trigger the memory portion of the brain and can also affect how we feel. No matter what state we think we’re in, or what we’re “smelling” or “sensing,” there is power in us pouring out thanksgiving upon the Lord. How and when we break our own box will determine how the fragrance will impact us. Don’t wait until it’s too late; break your box of thanksgiving today.
Lessons in the Box
Thanksgiving is Not a Leftover
The women brought their best to Jesus when offering up thanksgiving. This was their first action. For us, our thanksgiving seems to come in the context of loss; it’s a leftover for us and not our first action. We need to learn a lesson from these 2 women and provide our thanksgiving up front. We’re commanded to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. When we start with thanksgiving, this will change our perspective about everything else. If we have a thanksgiving-first mentality, we can offer thanksgiving that’s driven by our love and gratitude to Jesus for who He is and what He’s done.
In the Old Testament, the church brought an offering of first fruits. This gave God’s people the ability to praise Him for what He did in their past. And, it gave them the opportunity to praise God for giving them the ability to have a harvest! They key to this offering was that it was first! Tis is a model we need to follow when offering God thanksgiving in our life.
Thanksgiving Doesn’t Just Impact Us
No one around the women could escape the fragrance of the thanksgiving poured out. Spiritually, there is a fragrance that’s poured out when we’re thankful. It’s not hard to sense a thankful person—they’re happy, content, persevere, etc. Paul warned Timothy in the last days people won’t be thankful. They won’t stand people that are thankful, and their own unthankfulness will come out in their actions (II Timothy 3:2). In each instance, the men in the room questioned the “waste” of the oil being poured out. We must be wary of those around us who question our praise and thanksgiving. Jesus told them the oil wasn’t waste but a sacrifice.
A Pleasing Fragrance
When Noah stepped off the ark after the world was flooded, the first thing he did was offer up a sacrifice to the Lord (Genesis 8:21). To the Lord, Noah had offered a sweet smelling savor. God has His own sense of smell and He can smell the difference in our offerings; He knows the difference between sweet and stink. We can’t go through the motions and follow the masses in our relationship with God. He is looking for a worshipper who will push through the crowds and one who will make up their mind to have a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
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