"Whose Words Of Approval?"

"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat." Matthew 26:7

One day when Jesus was eating at the house of Simon the leper, a woman with an alabaster box came and poured the expensive ointment that was in the box upon His head. When she did, the whole house began to talk. The Pharisees began to point out this woman's reputation. The disciples began to criticize her act calling it a waste. But she continued anyway. She didn't let what they said about her, their opinions, their accusations stop her from pouring her "worship/love" out on Jesus.

When you demonstrate your worship to the Lord, when you make sacrifices for Him, when you are unreserved in your devotion to Him, when you are giving Him your all, when you have made Him Lord of your life, there will always be someone who will make it their business to "talk about you" and try to stop you from doing so. They will criticize you. They will condemn you. They will accuse you of being fanatical, too spiritual and thinking you are holier. They will tell you that you don't have to do all that- it's not necessary. And it won't be just the people who are sinners out in the world- it will be the church people too.

That day in the house were the Pharisees and the disciples, and as we said, they both had something critical to say about this woman's actions. I can understand the Pharisee's criticism but I can't the disciples. The Pharisees just talked about her reputation and criticized Jesus for allowing this woman to touch Him. The disciples, on the other hand, criticized her act of love and worship toward Jesus. They had been with Jesus for three years. They had seen His miracles. They knew He was the Son of God. They heard His teachings. They recognized His Lordship. But they thought she had wasted something valuable on Him. They, of all people, should have known that you can't get anymore valuable than Jesus. And what we do for Him is never a waste.

The point I am trying to get to and want to leave you with is this: people, in and out of the church, will always talk about your service, devotion and love of Jesus. But don't let what they say stop you. What they say is not what really matters. What matters is what Jesus says. If He accepts it, that is all that matters. If He is pleased by it, that's all that counts. It is His approval that we are after. Those in the room that day didn't approve of what was going on, but Jesus did. So as far as this woman was concerned that was all that mattered. As long as Jesus was pleased, she didn't care whether others were or not.

Have a great day. Someone will always criticize your worship and love of Jesus, but as long as He is pleased with it that is all that matters.

For further reading:
Matthew 26:6-12
Mark 14:1-9
Luke 7:36-50