A gift for when life is not rosy

EASTER PEOPLE: PHILIPPA SMALE takes a look at major and minor characters in the Bible's accounts of the days before and after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection

LIBBY'S husband, John, was in the Navy. He was away at sea on the day of their 12th wedding anniversary. When the postman arrived that morning Libby received a letter informing her that she had to go into hospital for an operation - but no card from John. She thought that he had forgotten.

By midday Libby was an emotional wreck. She had convinced herself that John did not love her and would not care that she was going to have an operation.

Then there was a knock at the door. Libby opened it to find a man holding a long, thin white box.

‘This is for you. Sign here,' he said.

As he left, Libby opened the box. Inside were 12 long-stemmed red roses nestling in tissue paper. There was also a note: ‘These are for the wonderful 12 years we have shared together. All my love, John.'

Libby burst into tears of joy.

An hour later there was another knock. It was another box with another dozen roses and another note: ‘These are for all the years I hope we will share together - a lot more than 12! All my love, John.'

John's gestures of love could have seemed excessive. The sensible side of Libby said that a card would have been enough. But the memory of those gestures would later carry her through difficult times.

What can look excessive can be expressive - as an event in the life of Jesus reveals.

Only days before his crucifixion Jesus was a guest at a dinner party. A woman walked up to Jesus with a jar of very expensive perfume and poured all of it over his head. In the customs of the day it was a sign of respect to anoint someone with oil or perfume. But was it really necessary to use a whole jar of expensive perfume?

Jesus' disciples were not too pleased. They thought it was a waste of money (see Matthew 26:6-13).

Jesus saw it differently. It was an extravagant gesture of love. It helped him to face the hardships of the coming days when he laid down his life for others in a gesture which itself expressed God's extravagant love for all humankind.

When extravagant love was shown to Libby she was glad. When it was shown to Jesus he was glad.

And through Jesus, God shows it to us. What will we do with his gift?

- TSA UK War Cry