She Did What She Could

I still remember the sound. The clinking of coins spilling from a glass jar, each one representing a small sacrifice, a quiet act of love. My grandmother, Ruby, was a woman of modest means, yet every year, she found a way to make each season overflow with joy–especially the holidays.

All year long, she would save her change—quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins dropped into a clear glass sphere that sat in her dining room. By December, that jar was heavy with possibility. When the time came, she would break it open, allowing hundreds of coins to flow into my hand. She wouldn’t allow me to hold onto the money for too long. Instead, she taught me a lesson about sacrificing what you have for others. Instead of a shopping spree for myself, I would use the hundred dollars’ worth of coins to buy my mother a Christmas gift. It wasn’t about the amount saved. It was about the act itself—doing what she could to create something special for those she loved.

Her example reminds me of a woman in Scripture who also saved something special and broke it open to sacrifice it for someone else.

Matthew 26 reveals the story of a woman who was so moved by Jesus that she wanted to sacrifice everything she had for Him. 

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her’” (Matthew 26:6–13, NIV).

This woman didn’t have a title or position. What she had was a jar of perfume and the courage to offer it to Jesus, despite the likelihood of criticism. The disciples didn’t see the beauty in her gift. They labeled it as wasteful, questioning her choice. But Jesus saw her heart, and His response was different. “She did what she could,” He said.

In a world that often measures worth by how much we have or how much we give, her act reminds us of something profound: it’s not about how much you bring, but about the heart with which you bring it.

Sometimes it’s easy for us to feel like our contribution is small compared to others. Maybe you’re sacrificing time to serve in one area while others seem to do it all. You may only have enough energy to pray for your kids or enough resources to focus on one cause. And that may seem so insignificant. But one small gesture could have ripple effects for years to come. It’s been over twenty years since I got a jar full of quarters from my grandma, but I think about it all the time.

Thankfully, God isn’t comparing our offering to someone else’s. He’s looking at your willingness to give from what you have. Jesus Himself was so moved by the woman’s offering that He declared her act would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. That’s how much it mattered to Him.

Sometimes the biggest hurdle to doing what we can is fear of judgment. We wonder if what we’re bringing is enough or if it even matters. But the truth is, your obedience to God and your willingness to pour out what you have is beautiful in His sight.

My grandmother didn’t have an alabaster jar, but she had a glass jar filled with coins. Every time she broke it open, she showed me the power of sacrificial love—giving what she had to create joy for others. It’s a lesson I’ve carried with me my whole life.

And Jesus? He broke Himself open for us. His body, His life, poured out so that we could experience His grace and love. His ultimate sacrifice reminds us that when we serve others as an act of serving God, it’s never in vain.

What would it look like for you to break your alabaster jar? To serve others as an act of serving God? Maybe it’s stepping into a calling you’ve been hesitant to embrace. Perhaps it’s offering forgiveness when you never received that long-awaited apology. Or maybe it’s giving your time to someone who needs to feel seen and loved.

Whatever it is, do it with courage. Do it with love. Do it despite what others think.

Because just like the woman with her alabaster jar, when we do what we can, God sees. And the fragrance of our offering—our love and service—will carry on, leaving a lasting impact.

So today, I encourage you to ask yourself, “What do I have to offer?” And then, offer it with boldness and love. Break yourself open—your plans, your dreams, your resources—and watch how God uses them to bless others and glorify Himself.

Because when we do what we can, we honor Him. And He never forgets.

—Written by Breonna Rostic. Used by permission from the author.