
Jesus recognized that Mary’s offering was not wasted, because He saw the heart behind it. Those around her, however, dismissed it as wasteful—viewing her act through the lens of their own self-righteousness and misguided assumptions. The same is true for us: when we allow the opinions and approval of others to dictate our obedience, we end up paralyzed and ineffective. In fact, many of us forfeit what God has called us to do because someone else convinces us it would be pointless. But here’s the truth: whether something is wasted depends on who you’re asking. God says one thing, man says another—and His word is the one that counts.