Pour It Out #376

Pour It Out #376

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In the books of Matthew and Mark, there is an account of Jesus eating at the house of Simon the leper. Think about that for a second. The Son of God eating and reclining in the very presence of a man whose neighbors would cover their mouths if they saw him. The true act of stepping out of a comfort zone happened when a woman broke a flask of expensive ointment and poured it over the head of Jesus.

Of course, those in the room didn’t celebrate her. They criticized her and asked why the money for the ointment couldn’t be used to help the poor. Now, I’m not asking you to spend 300 denarii, which translates to about $15,000 today, only to pour it out as she did. But I do think this example can teach us a valuable lesson about how to live your legacy.

She not only entered the town’s forbidden house, but she also gave up everything for a future she couldn’t see yet. Then, when the crowd chastised her, Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her?” He could have said, “Why are you mocking her? What’s it to you?” But He defended her and explained the why behind her sacrifice. He also used her gift to call out those who weren’t helping the poor as they should have. He knew the flask of ointment was all she could give Him and that was enough.

What can we take from her heart of sacrifice and apply to our lives? First, understand that when God puts something on your heart that’s different from the norm, others will criticize you. Unfortunately, the loudest criticisms will come from the people closest to you, much like those who scolded her were in the very room. But I want to encourage you to follow God’s call because the “poor” will always be here, but His conviction for you in the moment may not be.

The second thing is to believe that God will bless you through your sacrifice. He will provide for your needs and replace what you gave in abundance. If not now, then later. I would bet that each of us is holding onto something that someone needs more than we do. It’s hard, and it hurts to let go and feel an immediate pain for a future blessing. Easier said than done, but maybe that’s what God is asking you to make a sacrifice or a change for Him right now.

So, if you truly want to live a life that’s remembered, then you should step out of your comfort zone and sacrifice for someone else’s future as she did. She broke, emptied, and poured a flask of ointment that was never to be used again. And thousands of years later, what she did is still being talked about wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world. That’s a legacy.

So take the criticisms and make a sacrifice today that changes someone’s tomorrow.

Visit lighthouselegacies.com for help in living a generational legacy. Also, check out the Living Your Legacy Podcast.