Compassionate Christian Heart

Today we look at:
Mark 14:3-9
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at a 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. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”




I love how Jesus treated women, it is a point in Biblical writing that women were accepted, not brutalized or down-gressed, treated with respect, and valued, in Jesus's ministry.
At a time when women had no rights; were property of the men in their lives, were viewed as being prone to hysterics or sexual deviance, nothing more than ignored chattel.
They were constantly being dismissed, portrayed in a negative light, and then Jesus and God intervene and women have importance. Mary is chosen to carry this child Jesus, the angels will protect her, Mary Magdalene is beloved of the Son of God, women witnesses his resurrection, he does not chide or deride the woman who anoints him with oil then washes his feet with her hair, he protects a woman who is about to be stoned to death; there is more but for now this is enough to express what I want to say.
As a woman, there have been many times in my life when reading the Bible has been painful because women were so oppressed during this period, feminism was not even a notion, and it was hard to connect to the messages in certain chapters because of it. I wasn't the only one who felt this way, as I came to find when it was read with other female followers; sometimes we would need to pause to regroup and not lose the message in the written example of man's corruption.
I found it important to recall the time it was written, where we were then compared to modern times(although women are still treated as second class citizens in many parts of the world), that the corruption in the human heart does not reflect God or the love that He and Jesus have for us.
Women, children, men, and animals, experience cruelty, the most horrendous and heinous treatment at the hands of humans. It bruises the soul, breaks the heart, and brings up feelings of righteous indignation to see these things, to know of the injustices done in the name of insecurity, greed, and evil.
We can all too often can be left feeling helpless, discouraged, and think about giving up. This is the enemy's game, not one we were intended to play but to be vigilant about, and to overcome. But not alone.
Remember 1 Peter 5:8
⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

I have always believed that beyond social conditioning, learned behavior patterns, social norms, gender roles, and corrupt dealings, deep down inside we know right from wrong. Before learning any of the "moral" codes of life, because we come from a place that is pure love. It is imprinted on the soul of every man, woman, and child.  
This is why we need to come back to Jesus's teachings, refresh our memories and heart's with his tremendous capacity for kindness, compassion, and pure love. These words are so very true:

Have a wonderful start to the week and remember to share the best parts of yourself with the world, which are: compassion, kindness, understanding, and love.