Do you remember the dinner in the home of Simon the leper where Jesus and his disciples join Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in the town of Bethany?
It wasn’t a glamorous occasion. The Lord is meeting with his humble friends.
Martha is serving, as usual. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, we are told, is reclining at the table with Jesus enjoying rich fellowship with the Lord. And Mary comes in and what does she do? She brings a very expensive jar of perfume with her and opens it, pours some over the head of Jesus to anoint him with the beautiful fragrance. Then she pours it onto his feet and wipes his feet with her hair. It is a moment of extraordinary devotion and worship. Mary is giving her self to the Lord in humble gratitude. Mary is, according to Jesus, actually preparing his body for burial.
It wasn’t a glamorous occasion. The Lord is meeting with his humble friends.
Martha is serving, as usual. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, we are told, is reclining at the table with Jesus enjoying rich fellowship with the Lord. And Mary comes in and what does she do? She brings a very expensive jar of perfume with her and opens it, pours some over the head of Jesus to anoint him with the beautiful fragrance. Then she pours it onto his feet and wipes his feet with her hair. It is a moment of extraordinary devotion and worship. Mary is giving her self to the Lord in humble gratitude. Mary is, according to Jesus, actually preparing his body for burial.
As the disciples look on, how do they respond? Do they appreciate the holiness and the magnitude of this moment?
In fact, they rise up in pious indignation, and criticize her. “Shame on you, Mary. This perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor – it’s worth a years wages! We are so disappointed in you.“
Poor Mary. She was criticized by Martha, you recall, for sitting at Jesus feet rather than helping to cook and clean. And now as she “did what she could,“ the disciples disapprove.
Where do you see yourself in the story? Are you more like Mary in whole souled devotion and personal sacrifice? Wholly given to your savior? I hope that represents you. Or are you more like the disciples - quick to judge, “pious,“ and critical and judgmental?
It’s actually unsettling. I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week. The Lord has been showing me how quick I am to be piously judgmental, using a scripture verse of course, to point out, at least to myself, how impractical, and embarrassing the actions of other believers are in my eyes. If I had been there that day I am terribly afraid I would have been swept up in the criticism and murmuring throughout the room at this outrageous act.
Isaiah tells us that the Lord‘s ways are “higher“ than our ways and his thoughts are “higher“ than our thoughts. How does Jesus respond?
He comes to her defense. He says, “Don’t you see? She has done for me a beautiful thing! In fact maybe she’s the only one who’s been listening to me. She understands that I am going to die. And it will be soon, and there will be no time to prepare my body for burial. And she’s doing it now. I so appreciate her sacrificial giving of herself and identifying herself with me in my death.”
And then he says something, using a word that he only uses here. He says “she has done a beautiful thing.“ The words from God the Son, the mighty Son of man, the Savior of the world, the Lover of our souls, say that Mary has done a “beautiful” thing. And then he affirms her in front of them all. “This woman’s devotion to me will travel with the gospel to the ends of the earth. She will be appreciated in spite of your criticism.”
Do you understand how Jesus is with his humble friends? “He dwells with those of a humble and contrite of heart.“ He is with you who have humbled yourselves before him. He affirms her when “she did what she could.“ She couldn’t buy him a tomb. She couldn’t stop the soldiers. She couldn’t carry his cross. But she did what she could. And Jesus receives and affirms her.
Join me in repentance today. Let’s turn from the critical judgmental spirit that looks down on those who are over the top in their extravagant devotion to Jesus.
He will be with you as you repent. And then he will affirm you. He will embrace you. He will welcome you. And as he clothes you in his righteousness, he will present you as one of his prized possessions to God the Father.
The Bible says “In view of his mercies, let us present ourselves as living sacrifices to God which is our spiritual service of worship.“
Lord, again, I give myself to you – all that I know myself to be. Amen.
Musing’s from Pastor John, March 14, Click to Email Pastor John