"Leave her alone", was Jesus' strong response (Mark 14:6) to critics who rebuked a woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume. A brief lesson in God's economics: doing "a beautiful thing" (Mark 14:6), and "doing what you can" (Mark 14:8) to honor Jesus is more important than any amount of money. All through history, this woman's beautiful act has been remembered and will continue to be told (Mark 14:9).
This woman valued Jesus much more than the value of the expensive perfume she was using to anoint Him. Imagine that she gave Jesus the equivalent of $35-40,000 (in our inflated dollars) - a year's wages (Mark 14:5) to show how much she valued Him.
How do we demonstrate that we value Christ like that? Loving Jesus Christ is demonstrated in our obedience to His command to love God and to love one another. For some of us, it may be easier to turn over a year's salary. But it's not our money Jesus wants. He wants our obedience. And it may be the most difficult thing we do - to love one another. Love, in God's Word, is not coddling, it's not permissiveness or tolerating bad behavior. Love is praying for our enemies, speaking the truth in love, being for others the example Jesus was to us.
Can you do a beautiful thing for your Lord Jesus Christ? Can you love unconditionally?
I believe you can.