See-Through Alabaster (Luke 7:37)

And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, (Luke 7:37 NASB)

Alabaster is a mineral known as calcite, and, as the name implies, is a carbonate of calcium. It can be either white or brown or a swirled mixture of the two colors. Because of the chemical structure, it is relatively easy to carve and has been used for everything from relief carvings to perfume bottles and decorative figurines. As we see in this verse, the woman was carrying a perfume bottle made of alabaster. 

Alabaster is used in another way that might be surprising to you. When the alabaster is cut into extremely thin sheets, it is transparent and can be used for window panes. In fact, there is a church in Spain with alabaster windows today. 

What a lovely picture of our relationship with Christ! When the excess is cut away, you can see right through it. When all the hurt and sin is removed, when our hearts are purified, we should become so transparent in spirit that onlookers can see right through us to Christ. 

Are our hearts as transparent as a pane of alabaster? When people spend time with us, do the see more of us or more of Jesus?

Pray today for the transparency of spirit that allows our loved ones and all those we encounter to see Christ in us and that seeing, they will believe. 

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Link to last might's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/06/gathering-rags.html