AN OPPORTUNE WORK
‘She hath wrought a good work on Me.’
It would be easy enough to make out a ‘good case’ against Mary for this impulsive act of hers. Censoriousness, not to speak of malignity, would readily discover a troop of reasons why it should have been left undone. But our Lord threw over it and over her the shield of His kind and strong defence. He called it a ‘good work.’ Mary’s act was one of gratitude and of homage; more than that, it was opportune.
I. An opportune work.—The occasions for serving Jesus Christ were now narrowing fast; a few days and He would be in the grave, and all opportunity would be over; it might be said to be ‘now or never.’
II. Christ’s need of sympathy.—The hour of His severest trial was at hand, and any human sympathy shown Him now was becoming peculiarly precious. This was the thought at the heart of our Lord’s plea on her behalf (Mark 14:12). Who shall say how valuable to Him in those last days of spiritual struggle and of mysterious sorrow were the kindnesses He received at human hands? (See Mark 14:38.) Ministry shown to the Master then, love outpoured upon Him then, may have been to His tender and responsive spirit of inestimable value.
Any good work we do becomes good indeed, reaches a high mark of value and of virtue when it is specially opportune; rendered as opportunity is expiring, or when the Church or the disciple is in emergency or distress.