John 12:1–6: Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
“And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” This tells us Mary did not use just a tiny pinch of spikenard to anoint Jesus. She broke the container. The aroma of Christ, so honoring to him and so refreshing to others, does not occur when we give him half our heart or half our pocketbook or half our talents or half our ambition or half our lives or half our boyfriend or half our girlfriend. It comes by giving him everything. And when she arose and went about serving, she spread that beautiful aroma around the house. This completely unself-conscious act given to Jesus turned out to be the very means by which the aroma of glory to our Lord was spread to others. As Mary humbly gave herself, with no thought of her own glory. 1
Your Word is Truth
Does your love for Jesus create a sweet smelling aroma in your home?
The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge. –Proverbs 29:7
You Alone are God
It is through brokenness that we are able to pour out our lives for Jesus. – TWEET IT
Your Will be Done
Lord, thank you for receiving everything that I offer to You.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
