On the corner of my cluttered desk, almost to the back, sits a wrinkled sticky note with five simple words on it. On days when I feel confident and motivated, these words offer that little extra “atta girl” and make me smile. On days when I’m feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, or just plain not enough—which have been a lot of days lately—these words are my lifeline. They keep me cooking that dinner I don’t want to cook. They keep me loving those who are hard to love. They keep me going, honestly, anchored in the knowledge that my best is good enough. It’s good enough for Jesus. Therefore, it should be good enough for me.
I bet you’re wondering what these few words are. They come from a story in Mark 14 where a woman approaches Jesus who is dining at the home of a man named Simon. During the middle of this banquet, she enters the room, brings a jar of expensive perfume, breaks it, and anoints Jesus’ feet. The others in the room ridicule her for this gesture. They don’t understand why this perfume wasn’t sold and the money used for the poor. Yet Jesus defends her. He praises her. He understands her offering. He understands her heart. In fact, she’s the only woman in the entirety of scripture who receives such high acclaim: “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Mark 14:9).
These aren’t the first words Jesus speaks, however. Embedded in His incredible defense of this woman and her actions are five simple words that can be of utmost importance for us if we let them be: “She did what she could” (Mark 14:8).
She did what she could.
Are you feeling confident and motivated today? Great! Do what you can, and don’t worry about what you can’t. Freely do the things God has set out for you to do with joy and peace. However, if you’re feeling a little more like I have lately—overwhelmed, misunderstood, and not enough—let these five words soak into you like water on a dry sponge. Hear Jesus speaking them, each vowel, each syllable. Embrace their cadence. Receive their meaning. Jesus fully accepted this woman and the offering she brought to Him, an offering no one else saw for what it was and no one else understood. In the same way, Jesus sees you and the work you’re doing for Him. He sees and accepts and understands it all. If what you can do today seems meager in the world’s eyes, look into His eyes instead. If your offering seems less than, don’t evaluate it based on others’ standards. Hear Jesus say over you, “She did what she could.” He’s proud of you. He delights in you.
So many things in this life can tear us down. But Jesus isn’t in the business of doing that. He came to redeem, restore, equip, and encourage. He wants to build you up and remind you that a little oil in a jar will be enough (1 Kings 17:7-24), two coins even amongst thousands still matter (Luke 21:1-4), and a drink of water for a thirsty Savior is all that is expected (John 4:1-38). You are enough. Better yet, He is more than enough. So, do what you can. Do what He has called you to do. And leave the rest up to Him.
About the Author:
Ginger is a pastor’s wife, mom of three, and writer from Tulsa, OK. She has over a hundred devotions and articles published in various magazines and writes regularly for Lifeway Christian Resources. In addition to writing, Ginger also serves as the Director of Ministry Wives, a support ministry for pastor’s wives and women in ministry, through the Tulsa Metro Baptist Network. Ginger holds a Ph.D. in English from Baylor University. You can connect with her through Instagram @glmcpherson or online at glmcpherson.com.
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