Lausanne World Pulse – Perspectives Articles – “Wasted” on Jesus

By Ferdinand Nweke
March 2007

“As [Jesus] sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. And she broke the flask and poured it on his head. But there were some who were indignant… and said ‘why was this fragrant oil wasted?’…and they criticized her sharply.”
(Mark 14:3-5)

The world has not changed. Every time you pour something costly and precious on Jesus, the immediate reaction is, “To what purpose is this waste?” What the master gladly accepts as a sacrifice, the world calls a waste. As far as the people were concerned, the costly oil was misused. If she wanted to give it all away, why didn’t she use the proceeds from its sale to bless some poor people? In other words, there could have been a better use of the precious oil than “wasting” it on Jesus.

There is always an alternative use for whatever you want to pour on Jesus. If somebody with a degree in electrical engineering resigned a lucrative job and packed up to go and settle among the Wolof people of Senegal, the world would ask, “Can you imagine such a brilliant fellow with prospects, wasting his life and calling himself a missionary? What kind of waste is this?” If, however, he becomes an Information Technology guru, walking the financial capitals of the world and flying from New York to Singapore, from Tokyo to Brisbane, it would not be considered a waste.

Many Christians are afraid to pursue God’s high purpose for their lives because of the comments and expectations of others whose opinions belong in the trash can and who have no idea what the Lord has ordained for such a life. The truth is, everybody will be wasted somewhere. It is your choice to determine where and on what. But as for whether or not you will be wasted, it is an inescapable reality. Every life is being spent on something.

Some people are wasted on the pursuit of power, popularity and pleasure. Others are wasted on the mad-rush for money and other mundane matters of life. If your life is not wasted on Jesus, it certainly will be wasted on something less. You can only be emptied on something less than the master because there is nothing greater than him. Some people are waiting until they have been wasted by the system. At that time they will limp to the altar at age 70 singing “I surrender all.” When the best of your youthful resources have been spent pursuing your own personal agenda, what else is remaining to surrender?

If your life is not wasted on Jesus, it certainly will be wasted on something less.

The father of a Palestinian suicide bomber was recently interviewed. He said he felt extremely proud of his son for volunteering for such a mission. He was sure his son was in paradise. They seem to believe a lie more than we believe the truth. Some Igbo traders who cross every border and defy every imaginable obstacle to do business get killed in remote or distant lands when a political or religious crisis breaks out. What you think is a big price to pay for the gospel, others are willing to pay for the sake of their businesses. Every life is being wasted. The question is on what.

Mary Slessor was engaged to be married to a banker before she came to Nigeria as a missionary. After attending a mission conference, God called her to the “white man’s grave.” Her fiancé asked her to choose between himself and her mission call to Africa. She did not even have to pray about it. She broke the relationship, obeyed the call and spent the rest of her life in Nigeria. The woman in Mark 14 broke the neck of her flask and poured her costly oil on the master. There are some things you have to break if you empty the content of your life on Jesus.

The question we must always ask ourselves is, “When time gives way to eternity, what will we be remembered for?” The woman in Mark 14 had a memorial recorded for her because she emptied her best on the master. When the story of the harvest is told, what will be recorded of our lives? We can only pray these words of one famous song writer:

“When it’s all been said and done, there is just one thing that matters: Did I do my best to live for truth, did I live my life for You? When it’s all been said and done, all my treasures will mean nothing

Only what I’ve done for love’s reward will stand the test of time.”

Dr. Ferdinand Nweke, a medical doctor in Nigeria, coordinates Eternity Ministries, which focuses on maximizing Calvary and living with eternity in view. He has authored several books and songs.

Comments on this article

Thank God for Dr. Nweke. I didn’t expect anything less having known him closely. It behooves us to reevaluate our activities again and see whether they fit into HIS agenda for our lives.

buchi ubany :: 14 Nov 2011

No one is worth my all but Jesus. I choose to be wasted on Him.

Daniel James :: 5 Sep 2011

Thank God Dr. Ferdinand is still maintaining the ancient landmark of pilgrimage on earth focusing on eternity. May the Lord keep him.

Ephraim ngwan :: 11 May 2011

The way Dr. Nweke is passionate about souls and God challenges me. He was the guest speaker during the past Easter in my church Potter’s House family church and he was teaching in the similar manner. May god be praised if there are still people who preach the uncompromising gospel like this. SHALOM

Bhekithemba :: 20 Apr 2010

Thank you, sir, for those words, I would rather waste my life on Jesus. Only the things we do for God will echo in eternity. God bless you.

obi :: 14 Jul 2009

Doc, you have been a great blessing and this article serves as a timely challenge for us to go ALL the way for the Master in the face of a world that has never changed and is not planning to!

Abuchi Ohia :: 4 Oct 2008

Dr.Ferd, you have been a blessing and an encouragement to me from the first day I met you in September 1991. The power in this article lies in the fact that you preach what you practice. Keep up the good work.

SolaAdebayo :: 14 Apr 2007

Wow! Praise Jesus!

Jeff :: 13 Apr 2007

Peace and joy in Jesus! Thank you for your very inspiring article. I am a doctor married to a servant of the Lord in our Catholic Charismatic Community in the Philippines. Together my husband and I serve the Lord in missions and other evangelistic activities. It is truly a blessing to be surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who affirm our commitment that to love the Lord with all we’ve got is the best thing we can spend our life on. God bless your ministries and your family.

Jane :: 13 Mar 2007

Thank you, Dr. Nweke, for a few timely and well-said words that came to me as an answer to a prayer. Praise God for the way he uses so many different avenues to reach us! I will gladly “waste” my life on him!

Matt C. :: 13 Mar 2007

Great article from a man of God. Ferdinand still has the fire of God in his bones. I have known him for about thirteen years and he has remained faithful to the call of God. I am challenged to constantly review and deepen my committment and consecration to God and his call on my life. Only what we do for God will last for time and eternity

Chuka Anude :: 2 Mar 2007