Skilful means is a concept in Buddhism for a spiritual teacher's ability to adapt their words to the needs and interests of people. I am struck each day by how skilful the Lord is in this regard. The same words will reach each of us in a very personalized, and often very literal, way.

I have been contemplating the harvest of oil and how fresh oil is a sign of a new harvest coming in. Isaiah 44 speaks of preparation for a new situation:

'every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain shall be made low and the crooked places straight and the rough places plain and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it’.

Old oil is to be removed/used up to make space for fresh oil and coincidentally (not) I had removed all old oil from the house.

I had no fresh oil, living in very basic circumstances, so no anointing, no preparation for the harvest and then I remembered that I had found a new bottle of argan oil yesterday and had applied it to my hair. I had been sumptuously anointed with fresh oil. Skilful means.