Scripture Reading:
“You always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying” (Mark 14:7–8, RSV).
Opening Reflection
Sometimes the greatest treasures are overlooked. In 1858, a U.S. Army lieutenant named Ives looked out over the Grand Canyon and called it “altogether valueless.” Today, millions travel the world to stand in awe of its beauty. What he dismissed, generations have cherished.
In Mark 14, a woman anointed Jesus with costly perfume. The disciples saw waste. Jesus saw worship. They missed the value of her gift—He revealed it.
Christian giving often carries unappreciated values, hidden treasures that aren’t measured in dollars but in love, sacrifice, and opportunity.
Four Unappreciated Values in Christian Giving
1. The Extravagance of Love
Love often looks extravagant. The woman’s perfume was worth nearly a year’s wages. To the disciples, that seemed excessive. To Jesus, it was beautiful. Real love compels us to give beyond what we can calculate. Christian giving, at its core, is not about math—it’s about love.
Reflection: When was the last time my giving looked “extravagant” to someone else—but was simply an expression of love for Christ?
2. The Worth of Benevolence
The disciples asked if the money should have gone to the poor. Their question revealed a limited perspective. They valued efficiency over devotion. But Jesus saw that her act of love would inspire generations.
One little girl, giving up her ring during a church offering, told her pastor, “I did not give that ring to you.” True giving always carries worth beyond what others see—it is unto the Lord.
Reflection: Do I measure the worth of my giving by earthly results, or by the joy it brings to God?
3. The Acceptance of Opportunity
Jesus reminded His disciples that the poor would always be present, but He would not always be with them. This was a unique, fleeting moment. The woman seized it.
Too often, we regret what we failed to give or say. Christian giving reminds us: act while you can.
Reflection: What opportunity to give or serve is before me right now that I must not miss?
4. The Exercise of Ability
Jesus said of the woman, “She has done what she could.” That’s all God asks—not what we can’t do, but what we can.
Norman Vincent Peale once told a wealthy man to start with what he could do—give a tithe during a European trip. That simple step opened a path into faith and service.
Giving isn’t about the ability we don’t have; it’s about willingness with what we do have.
Reflection: What simple act of giving is within my reach today?
Closing Thought
There are values in Christian giving the world may never recognize: the extravagance of love, the worth of benevolence, the acceptance of opportunity, and the exercise of ability.
Like the Grand Canyon, they may appear “valueless” to some. But to Jesus, they are treasures of devotion.
When we give—whether perfume, a ring, a tithe, or our time—we discover those hidden values for ourselves. And Jesus’ words still hold true: “She has done what she could.”
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