We live in a world obsessed with conservation. Save your money, save your energy, save your time, and save your best clothes for a special occasion. Of course, in the mundane mechanics of life, prudence is a virtue. But what happens when we apply this same hesitant, calculating, and scarcity-minded philosophy to our relationship with Jesus Christ? Do we find ourselves holding back a portion of our time, “just in case” we need a break? Do we strategically allocate our resources, prioritizing earthly security over heavenly purpose? Do we keep our deepest talents and passions tucked away, waiting for a “better” or “more important” opportunity? This might sound familiar to all of us, but it’s not too late for us to change the calculation. It’s time we talk more about wasting it all—everything we have—on Jesus.
**Note: In this post, all forms of the term ‘waste’ is intended to be taken as a positive concept.**
The Prodigal Generosity of Faith.
The Gospel accounts propose a radical alternative to what we consider sensible living, revealing instances of beautiful, unrestrained, and often extravagant acts of love. The Bible offers numerous instances illustrating this type of dedicated service to Christ’s mission. For example:
- The Widow’s Offering (the time is now): Remember the poor widow at the Temple treasury whom Jesus noticed giving her offering? This was in stark contrast to the rich people who were donating large amounts of money. Mark’s Gospel records His astonishing verdict: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43-44) The “all she had to live on” wasn’t just copper coins; it was her very next meal, her security, her future. She ‘wasted’ her perceived safety on God. Her act wasn’t just a lesson in finance; it’s a lesson in faith. Are we giving God the leftovers of our week or the first and best of our time and energy, even when it feels like “all we have to live on”? The time to serve Him is not tomorrow, after we’ve secured our comfort; it is now.
- The Alabaster Jar (resources beyond measure): Perhaps the most powerful example of this ‘divine wastefulness’ is the woman who anointed Jesus’s head with expensive perfume. The account in Matthew and Mark shows the immediate reaction of the disciples/some who were present: indignation. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” (v.4-5) The disciples saw a resource allocation problem. Jesus saw pure love. He defended her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” (v.6). This alabaster jar—a precious, irreplaceable resource—was poured out entirely, its fragrance filling the house. It was not a measured dab; it was an unrestrained flow. It was ‘wasted’ on Him, and in doing so, it became eternally preserved in His story. What is your alabaster jar? Is it your talent, your savings, your expertise, or your home? Whatever it is, the invitation is to pour it all out, not for efficiency, but for adoration.
- The Rich Young Man (the cost of the calculated life) Matt. 19:16-29, Mk. 10:17-22, Lk. 18:18-23: In stark contrast to the unrestrained acts of the widow and the anointing woman stands the story of the rich young ruler. He approached Jesus with a calculated question about eternal life: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Jesus listed the commandments, which the ruler confidently claimed to have kept since his youth. But Jesus pointed to the ruler’s hesitation, his ultimate reservation: “One thing you lack: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Mark 10:21). This was the call to “waste it all”—to exchange his vast earthly portfolio for a boundless heavenly one. His reaction was immediate and tragic: “But he was sad at this word and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:22). He could not bring himself to waste his security for the sake of the Kingdom. He calculated the cost and found it too high, thus missing the incalculable treasure. His refusal to pour out his wealth was his ultimate undoing, a profound failure to recognize the true value of the invitation. What in your life are you clinging on to that might be hindering you from “wasting it all” for Christ?
The High Cost of the Hidden Treasure.
So, a person might ask—why this radical commitment? Because following Christ isn’t a hobby; it’s the discovery of the only thing that truly matters. Jesus illustrates this with the Parable of the Hidden Treasure: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold everything he had and bought that field.” (Matthew 13:44) The man didn’t sell most of what he had; he didn’t check his 401(k) first. He went and sold everything. The treasure—the Kingdom—was worth the total loss of his previous life’s portfolio. In the face of ultimate value, all secondary values must be ‘wasted’ away. Our time, our energy, our comfort—they are but the cost of the field holding the greatest treasure.
An Invitation to the Great Adventure.
To “waste it all” is not to live irresponsibly; it is to live with perfect focus. It means we stop treating our relationship with Christ as a budget line item and start treating it as the primary, all-consuming adventure of our lives. The concept of “waste it all” challenges our ingrained scarcity mindset across the most vital areas of life:
Time: The scarcity mindset tells us to save our spare hours for self-care or leisure. The Kingdom Mindset, however, urges us to ‘waste it all’ by giving the first, freshest, and largest portion of our time to service and prayer. This is the profound lesson found in the Widow’s Offering (Mk. 12:41-44, Lk. 21:1-4), where what seems like a small, extravagant act of giving everything is recognized as the ultimate devotion.
Resources: We naturally want to secure our financial future above all else, which often means that any giving is done merely as a careful precaution. The Kingdom Mindset calls us to ‘waste it all’ by giving sacrificially, trusting fully in God’s provision for our future needs. This radical trust echoes the unforgettable devotion of The Alabaster Jar (Matt. 26:6-13, Mk. 14:1-9, Lk. 7:36-50), where an expensive resource was poured out in a single, unreserved act of worship.
Talents: We often wait for the perfect moment—when success or recognition is guaranteed, or when it’s most convenient—to deploy our gifts. The Kingdom Mindset demands that we ‘waste it all’ by using every gift, skill, and passion daily to honor Him, regardless of the perceived return or recognition. This daily, unreserved use of our abilities reflects the principle of The Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44)—when you find something of ultimate value, you pour out everything you have to obtain it.
Conservation, according to the world, is the path to security. In contrast, the Gospel assures us that life is found through stewardship for Christ. I am certainly not suggesting that a faithful life to Christ necessitates selling all your belongings—though, like the rich young ruler, that might be exactly what God asks of you. Rather, my true invitation is for you to search your heart and assess your willingness and readiness to dedicate your entire self to Christ’s mission. This may be an area of your life that requires thoughtful time spent in prayer.
So, are you ready to stop calculating and start pouring? Are you ready to stop saving your best for a hypothetical future and start “wasting” your best today on the King? This is the great adventure of Christian discipleship—a joyful, unrestrained emptying of self that leads to the only true fullness. Join the journey, drink from The Well (JESUS), and waste it all for him! But remember, nothing is wasted when it comes to the Lord: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58)
Drink from The Well 
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