LIFE SCRIPTS

Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a dreaded skin disease. While Jesus was eating, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar filled with an expensive perfume, which she poured on his head. The disciples saw this and became angry. “Why all this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold for a large amount and the money given to the poor!”
Matthew 26:6‭-‬9 GNBDC

Scripture says that Christ was in a house of a man who had suffered a dreaded disease. He was eating with him. Christ could go out of His way to reach out to people. For the disease to be dreadful, this man must have been stigmatized and sidelined by many. Indeed even during those days skin diseases like leprosy were frowned upon. Even according to the laws of Moses, those gripped with it were to be isolated. However Christ broke all these hard and fast rules and related to all irrespective of stigma. Perhaps it’s a lesson we should learn in our age of stigmatization against diseases like HIV, or persons living with disabilities or even children with special needs. Christ crossed those barriers…why can’t we?
An interesting event unfolds in the presence of Christ as He’s being entertained by Simon. A lady, carrying an alabaster jar containing expensive perfume poured the oil on top of His head in reverence of Him. The disciples decried the waste. They couldn’t see the sense in what she did. They couldn’t relate to it.