"And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?" -- Mark 14:3-4

I remember listening to Dr. Howard Hendricks read some excerpts from reference forms sent in for prospective students at Dallas Seminary. "This young man is highly gifted in many areas and it's a shame that he is wasting his life on the ministry!" They failed to see the value of doing a "beauty thing" in serving Jesus.

Over the years I have been greatly blessed by such highly gifted men from that seminary. The ministry that we share has been a rich investment and most rewarding. A life that is lived for Jesus will never be a waste. As the story of this woman has been recorded in the Scriptures, her story has marked the lives of more than can be counted. Her honor has only been exceeded by her impact on those who have poured out everything for the sake of Christ. That my friend, is a "beautiful thing".

The words of the martyred missionary Jim Elliot still ring true... "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."