Mark 14:6 “She has done a beautiful thing to me…8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Every time I read about what’s happening in Lebanon, Gaza, and Ukraine, I feel helpless. I don’t have the ability to control or influence the outcome of those wars. I don’t even have the ability to make sure all the people in IM are safe, or that the ministries can continue. I want to help, to intervene somehow, but I can’t. Mark 14 talks about the woman who poured a whole bottle of extremely expensive perfume on Jesus’ head. I suspect that she felt helpless, too. She longed to help, but she was powerless. She couldn’t influence the religious leaders, or even make her voice heard for Jesus’ sake… but she did have that one precious jar of perfume. When Jesus defends her to His money-minded disciples, He says, “she has done what she could”, and “this woman’s deed will be remembered.”

The lesson for me in these verses is to do what I can, even if it seems small or insignificant. What Jesus saw as beautiful was that “she did what she could” instead of letting her lack of power paralyze her. God offers hope even when we are seemingly unable to help because He can miraculously take a small act and make it significant in His kingdom, like He did with the woman’s poured-out perfume.

What is my “bottle of perfume”? Is there something God has given me that I can pour out as a way to honor Jesus? Spiritual giftedness, time, expertise, money, wisdom, and experience can all be used to honor Him. When we employ those things (and any others) in the work of spreading the Good News about Jesus, the spiritual significance is eternal and unmeasurable. May that be my story (and our story). May we take the steps of faith that we can, regardless of how big or small they might seem. God can and will use those small acts for His eternal purposes.

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