Two Women Show Us How to Live
A woman, unnamed, unknown stepped into the room, shattered an alabaster jar, and let the fragrant oil pour over the head of Jesus. The whispers started immediately. Wasteful, some muttered. Foolish, others thought. But Jesus silenced them: “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14). Now step back two chapters. Another woman, another nameless face. A widow this time. She drops two small copper coins into the temple treasury. A mere whisper of a sound, swallowed by the clatter of gold and silver from the rich. Nobody noticed; nobody but Jesus. And he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing” (Mark 12).
Two women. Two acts of extravagant devotion. Two lives surrendered in ways that still echo millennia later. Their actions reveal a question: What would it look like to live as if Christ truly is our all?
You see, the widow gave all she had, literally her last penny. She had no savings account, no safety net. It wasn’t just an offering; it was her life. Why would she do such a thing? Look back a few verses. Jesus had just named the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Her act wasn’t religious lip service or a begrudging duty. It was love; pure, unfiltered, all-encompassing love. Love that trusted God to provide when reason said He wouldn’t. She gave her future to Him, like a climber stepping off a ledge with nothing but faith that the rope will hold.
The woman with the ointment? She, too, gave her all – her jar of pure nard, a year’s wages bottled in an alabaster vessel. Some say it could have been her dowry, her financial security, her future in liquid form. But instead of being prudent in saving it or even selling it for a noble cause, she poured it on Jesus. Some called it waste. Jesus called it worship.
Here’s the thing about extravagant devotion: it rarely makes sense to anyone but the one doing it. The widow could have kept one coin for bread. That would’ve been “wise.” The woman could have kept the nard for her financial security. If she really wanted to get rid of it she could’ve sold it and donated the proceeds to the poor. That would’ve been praised. Pragmatism whispers, “Be reasonable.” But devotion shouts, “Give everything.” Both women acted irrationally by worldly standards. They defied the rules of security, propriety, and practicality. And Jesus? He praised them for it. Their acts of surrender were not just about generosity. They were proclamations that Jesus was worth more than money, reputation, or even life itself.
And, that’s where living a CIA life where Christ is all is displayed. It’s not about making sense to the world. It’s about making Christ your everything. These women challenge us. They force the question upon us: Where are we placing our devotion? Are we clinging to old securities like bank accounts, careers, and what you’re supposed to do? Or are we pouring ourselves out at the feet of Christ?
These two women don’t just inspire us; they convict us. They held nothing back. They weren’t distracted by pragmatism, appearances, or fear. They remind us that true worship isn’t measured by what’s left over after we’ve taken care of ourselves. It’s measured by what we’re willing to give up. Here’s what they show us about living a CIA life:
- Jesus Deserves Our Best
Both women gave what was most precious to them – the widow her last coins, the woman her costly perfume. We, too, are called to give Jesus the best of our time, energy, and resources. Not the leftovers. The first fruits. - Trust God Completely
The two women trusted God to provide for their needs, even when logic screamed otherwise. Their faith was reckless by human standards but secure in divine reality. - Love Beyond Reason
The woman with the ointment didn’t calculate or hesitate. Her love was extravagant, even “wasteful.” Her story challenges us to love Jesus with abandon, not holding back out of fear or practicality. - Defy the World’s Standards
Both women were misunderstood. Their acts were countercultural, impractical, even offensive. Living for Christ often means going against the grain, making choices that others won’t understand.
But, let’s be honest. Most of us live cautiously. We give Jesus pieces of our lives while clutching the rest tightly. We hold on to our security, our comforts, our plans. But these women – these two quiet, nameless women – show us what it means to let go. Living a CIA life means pouring out your alabaster jar. It means giving Jesus your last two coins. It means loving him with everything you’ve got and trusting him with everything you don’t.
So here’s the question: What’s in your jar? What are you clinging to that needs to be poured out at the feet of Christ? What are your last two coins? Because when Jesus is your all, you can hold nothing back. And when you give your all to him it’s not waste – it’s worship.