There are moments in our lives when some special knowledge dawns on us. We realize we love someone, recognize just how good they have been to us, or how grateful we are to have them in our lives. In those moments something in us wants to do something for that person. We want to call and tell them, send a note of thanks, buy them a gift. But far too often, we let the moment pass. We talk ourselves out of it. Sometimes fear kicks in and we wonder if we will be rejected or perceived as, God forbid, “soft.” So we let the moment pass and the lovely thing is never done.
The gospels tell the story of a woman who did not let the moment pass. When she felt the impulse to do something for the person who had changed her life, she did not let it go to waste. Jesus was a guest at what must have been a fancy dinner hosted by an influential religious leader and a gathering of his rich friends. The woman somehow found her way into the room, and with no hint of shame or hesitation she broke a vase of expensive perfume and poured it all on Jesus’ feet. As she wiped his feet with her hair, onlookers were indignant (Mk.14:4). Some saw a wanton woman who had clearly lost control of herself and others thought Jesus was out of line for allowing it (Lk. 7:39). Judas and others called the act wasteful; the perfume was worth a lot of money, and that money could have been put to much better use (Jn. 12:4-6; Matt. 26:8).
But Jesus saw something else entirely. He saw an expression of love from a woman with gratitude so profound it compelled her to do the extravagant. He saw a lovely thing—that unnecessary “extra” that gladdens the heart. He called the lavish act “beautiful” (Matt. 26:10). He appreciated it because it had far greater significance than the critics could see: the woman had just anointed his body for burial (Mk. 14:8).
Most of us enjoy receiving lovely/beautiful things. They come in all sorts of packages—a box we dare not unwrap because the packaging is exquisite, the compliment that comes just when we are doubting our choice of the green sweater, an unexpected invitation to lunch or other outing, tickets to the concert we could not afford, the gorgeous engagement ring, a sweet text message from a loved one, or a word of encouragement offered after some failure or disappointment.
Lovely things ease the tension within, fill our eyes with tears of joy, and make us giggle like kindergartners. They remind us that we are not alone in the world. We are seen and loved.
In a world in which ugly abounds, don’t ignore the impulse to do a lovely/beautiful thing. You don’t know how significant it could be …