Jesus Christ esteems any service done to Himself, No- where, perhaps, in the Gospels, do we find such strong praises bestowed on any person, as this woman here receives. Three points, in particular, stand out promi- nently in our Lord's words, to which many who now ridicule and blame others for their religion's sake, would do well to take heed.
For one thing, our Lord says, " Why trouble ye her ?" A heart-searching question that, and one which all who persecute others because of their religion would find it hard to answer ! What cause can they show ? What reason can they assign for their conduct ? None ! none at all. They trouble others out of envy, malice, igno- rance, and dislike of the true Gospel.
For another thing, our Lord says, " She hath done a good work." How great and marvellous is that praise, from the lips of the King of kings ! Money is often given to the church or bestowed on charitable institutions, from ostentation, or other false motives. But it is the person who loves and honors Jesus Himself, who really " does good works."
For another thing, our Lord says, " She hath done what she could." No stronger word of commendation than that could possibly have been used. Thousands live and die without grace, and are lost eternally, who are always saying, " I try all I can. I do all I can." And yet in saying so, they tell as great a lie as Ananias and Sapphira. Few, it may be feared, are to be found like this woman, and really deserve to have it said of them, that they " do what they can."
Let us leave the passage with practical self-applicaton.
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Let us, like this holy woman, whose conduct we have just heard described, devote ourselves, and all we have, to Christ's glory. Our position in the world may be lowly, and our means of usefulness few. But let us, like her, " do what we can."
Finally, let us see in this passage a sweet foretaste of things yet to come in the day of judgment. Let us believe that the same Jesus who here pleaded the cause of His loving servant, when she was blamed, will one day plead for all who have been His servants in this world. Let us work on, remembering that His eye is upon us, and that all we do is noted in His book. — Let us not heed what men say or think of us, because of our religion. The praise of Christ at the last day, will more than compensate for all we suffer in this world from un- kind tongues.