How Well Do You Anoint?

In my reading this morning I was directed to the passage of scripture in Luke chapter seven, where Jesus finds himself in the home of Simon the Pharisee. And while Jesus and the guests were reclining at the table, a woman whose past preceded her entered the room and began expressing something only the forgiven may understand. (Luke 7:36-50)

I ask you this day, I ask myself this day; How Well Do You Anoint?

Seriously, are you fully aware of the gravity of your sins forgiven? And the reason I ask is because, to the very degree that we understand our own personal and general depravity, assigned to all sons of Adam, will be the degree of our anointing or offering we present to the Lord. For each of us starts at zero. Sinners separated from God and destined to eternal punishment, without hope or sight for any future beyond the present; and that, not much in and of itself.

For when we are confronted with and accept the gravity of our depravity, we are on the road to higher living. We are on the road to redemption and relationship.

I would pose to you that one auspicious mark of the damned now forgiven is an unspeakable gratitude that expresses itself in first and foremost deep love and loyalty to Jesus, and secondly tender eyes toward those yet initiated into that baptism. For if and when a person has been saved by the Savior, there is a full awareness of the grandeur expressed in this said transaction. And therein lays the clearest indicator of salvation by grace through faith. Visible and expressible LOVE for Jesus and LOVE for others.

If we can but understand that we have been anointed with the special favor of God, His grace of forgiveness and reconciliation by faith alone, then we will learn and develop very quickly, the art and expression of anointing Christ and others well. We will be bearers of the love freely given to us, and thereby offer the same anointing to those around us, to include Jesus our Christ and Lord.

But IF WE HAVE NOT experienced this grace; we will be frugal in our expressions of love. We will find all sorts of reasons NOT to give grace or praise. We will NOT be found in the ranks of the once lost now found, but we will be found in the ranks of the self-justified. For unless one fully understands what one has been saved from, and saved for, love becomes currency by why which we pay those we think are deserving, and those that are NOT we offer no hand out or credit. They simply must earn it. And that is a damnable outlook.

May each of us who have been saved from much (and that be all of us), lavish our expressions of love to God and others in very clear cut and marked ways; for while we were at our most HELPLESS and VULNERABLE place, Jesus died FOR US. No credit checks, no waiting periods – simply grace and favor. And that my friend is what teaches us to anoint well.

So I ask you; How Well Do You Anoint?