DOERS OR COMPLAINERS?
 
Two parts were played out at Bethany. At the meal table where Jesus was having dinner the first person played their part. “A woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” (Mark 14:3) This perfume was worth a years wages.
 
On the part of this woman it was a very wonderful and self sacrificing thing she did. It was the best she had and she gave it all to her Lord. It wasn’t even as if she opened the jar of perfume and poured it out, keeping some back for herself. She broke the jar and the perfume was poured on Jesus’ head. The jar was now useless to use again.
 
The second part was played by others who were present. They said, “‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a years wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly.” (v.4-5) These people were not the ones who had given the gift. They had not given gifts to the Lord of Life and yet they felt it appropriate to criticise the giver of this beautiful gift.
 
Which part do we play? Are we doers or complainers? Would we have been the one giving or the one complaining? Let’s be sure that the sharpness of our tongues does not catch out the laziness of our hands. Let’s be the movers and shakers – not those who sit down and criticise.