Hello, great people of the Steemit community, today we will be discussing about what is expected of us as dependable women in our homes while making reference to the woman with the Alabaster box as a case study.
Text- Luke 7: 36-50, Psalm 50:10-15
36 "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment.
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace ". Luke 7: 36-50KJV
10 "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me".Psalm 50:10-15
Giving is the hall mark of genuine love and for someone you love nothing is considered too big to secure the love. You can give without loving but it is impossible to love without giving. Giving is a service unto God which affords you a pleasurable life,
Job 36:11 says "If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures’’.
Giving is living. Giving is an expression and extension of your love unto God. Thus, every dependable woman must have the gift of giving. A dependable woman is one who is humble, bold, reliable, wise, trustworthy, and calm.
Facts about giving
We have been called to live a sacrificial life. Gal. 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’’. To be crucified is to be sacrificed.
To whom much is given, much is expected:- consider your blessings and think about how to say thank you to the giver.
Sacrifice precedes blessing:- Empty altar brings empty blessing. Gen. 22:15 – 18 "And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice’’
Because thou has done these things. Until there is a giving, you will not receive. Until you lose you will not find.
The greater your sacrifice the greater your blessing Luke 6:38:- "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again’’.
There is no service without sacrifice. John 12:26
Every service and sacrifice unto God comes with greater honour. Luke 7:38. Jn. 12:26. She was forgiven.
Giving is a form of risk taking.
Let your giving cut across all aspects of your life if you want an all round blessing. Abraham was blessed in all things. Gen. 24:1
Benefits of breaking your Alabaster box
It makes you a good reference point to your generation.
It enables you to maximize your resources and even your life:- The value of the perfume wouldn’t have been well appreciated if the woman lose it by herself. The beauty of your life and resources is to be used for God.
It propels you to an ever increasing life:- Acts 5 Peter surrendered his best to Jesus. Gen. 24:1. Abraham lived a blessed life in all things. John 10:10-11 only God knows what Isaac sowed that made him yield a hundred fold Gen. 26:12-24. What an inaccessible prosperity.
It brings total wholeness and forgiveness of sins
It brings you from obscurity to limelight e.g. Ruth.
It brings out the best in you.
Lessons from the woman with Alabaster Box.
She sowed generously:- She gave her best. She sows into a fertile and productive ground. IICor. 9:6. She poured all her perfume. Prov. 11:24-25, Rom. 5:17 “for if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision grace and of gift of righteousness reign in life through the one and only Jesus Christ”.
She gave purposefully:- She determined to lavish her love in appreciation to the one who saved and forgave her sin. She was a willing giver.
She gave sacrificially:- She sacrificed the most expensive perfume on Jesus. David said:- I will not offer burnt offering unto God which cost me nothing. 2Sam. 24:24. No wonder God called him a man after his own heart. She gave without losing anything.
A candle loses nothing when it lights another (giving). Prov. 11:24.
She gave humbly: - She lowered herself to give reverently knowing fully well that the one she was giving to owned the cattle upon a thousand hills. She gave seed to the sower. Psalms. 50:10
She gave herself: - Her life, dignity, reputation, her self-esteem and worth. Rom. 12:1-2 what do you have to give the saviour, and the redeemer of your soul.
She first gave herself:- God values not the gift, but the giver’s life Rom. 12:1-2
Other examples of dependable women in the bible
Esther (Esther 4:15-16)
15 "Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish ".
Esther was reliable and dependable even when Mordechai urged Esther to change the King’s deadly decree using her power as a queen in the palace, Esther rather humbly said Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day
Deborah (Judges 4:6-7)
"And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand ".
Deborah boldly reminded Barak to obey the God.She made him to understand God’s promise the blessings that come with obedience.
Zipporah (Exodus 4:24-26)
24 "And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision".
Zipporah wisely intervened when was about to be killed by the LORD by circumcising his sons and therefore saving the life of Moses, so that he could fulfill his mission to lead the people of God out of Egypt.
Manoah’s wife (Judges 13:22-23)
22 "And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these ".
Manoah’s wife calmly encouraged him with words of faith. A dependable woman encourages her husband even in the time of trouble.
Ruth
9 "And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman ".
Ruth became the mother of Obed, grandfather of David because she humbly made Boaz to recognize that he was God’s choice to provide that protection.
I hope that this little piece will be useful to everyone who has taken time to read through. God bless you.
Thank you for reading expecting your comments, questions and upvotes
Please note that all scripture are quoted from the kings James version of the holy bible.