You have heard it said that: "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." That was Jezebel's problem in our lesson from the Hebrew scriptures. Her status and position as queen, as the wife of the king of Israel, gave her the power to control those around her, to ensure her will was enforced, and the opportunity to gain her desires by whatever means necessary. Jezebel was a Sidonian, who worshiped Baal, and led her husband to forsake the Lord, the God of Israel, for her god. God sent the prophet Elijah into her life, but unfortunately she spent all her energy trying to have him killed rather than paying attention to his message. Her reputation in scripture was so deplorable that the dictionary today uses her name to denote "any woman regarded as shameless, wicked, etc."

Contrasting with her evil, death-dealing ways, we have in our gospel the example of humility and fidelity of the women who followed Jesus and "provided for [Jesus and the twelve] out of their resources," "women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities." These women, "Mary, called Magdalene, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward, Chuza, Susanna, and many others," surely now including the woman anointing Jesus at the Pharisee's house, knew what it was to know the Lord, to be cleansed, made whole and holy, literally to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It was their openness to receive God's healing grace that made the difference in their lives.

We have the same choices in our lives today. We can choose to rely on our own devices, assuming control of our lives, letting our pride, greed, and ungodly desires lead us in the way of darkness and death, or we can surrender to the love of God, allowing the light of Christ to lead us into the way of truth and life. The choice is not once and done; it faces each of us day by day, over and over. "Keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour," (I Pet.5:8) a reality of life, not always a metaphor, as Jezebel discovered from the consequences of her choices. (II Kgs.9:33-37)