A Gift of Love
Reflection
On the Wednesday of Holy Week, a woman came to Jesus with a jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured the oil over His head. Some people in the room complained; they thought it was a “waste” of money. But Jesus stopped them. He looked past the cost to her heart and said her act of love was beautiful.
In our later years, we can sometimes feel like our lives are “wasted” because we can no longer do the big things we once did. We aren’t running businesses, raising young families, or leading large projects anymore. Looking at our limited energy, we might wonder, “What do I really have to offer God now?”
But Jesus doesn’t measure the size of the gift; He measures the love behind it. I see this “beautiful perfume” every day in our senior homes. It is in the resident who braves a walk down the hall for a Toonie Breakfast just to be among friends. It is in the lady who uses her shaky hands to play the piano to encourage her neighbors, or the gentleman who—though he is grieving himself—picks up his guitar to play a song of comfort for another.
His Nearness is your Audience
You don’t need a stage or a crowd to do something “beautiful” for God. A simple prayer whispered in the middle of the night, a patient smile for a tired caregiver, or a word of thanks to the kitchen staff—these are your jars of perfume. When you do these small things with love, Jesus looks at you and says the very same thing: “You have done a beautiful thing to Me.”
“Love is not measured by how much we do, but by how much love we put into the doing.” — Mother Teresa
“Small things done in the name of Christ are never small in the eyes of Heaven.” — Billy Graham
Rest Reflection
Think of one small “gift of love” you can give today. It might be a phone call, a kind word, or simply choosing to be patient when you feel frustrated.
Give of the strength of your youth;
Clad in your salvation’s full armor,
Join in the battle for truth.”
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Personal Prayer
Lord Jesus, sometimes I feel like I have so little to offer You. Please help me to see that even my smallest acts of kindness are precious in Your sight. Accept my love today as a “beautiful thing.” Use my life, even in these quiet moments, to show Your grace to others. Amen.
A Blessing for You
May you feel the pleasure of the Lord upon you today. May He give you the opportunity to do one “beautiful thing” for someone else, and may you know deep in your soul that He sees and treasures every bit of your love.
