The intoxicating aroma instantly permeated the entire house, and Mary was able to bask in Jesus’ presence, knowing she had given Him her very best.
She made the seemingly reckless decision to break a jar of exquisite perfume and pour the contents on Jesus’ head, much to the disgust of others in the room. While onlookers scoffed at such an expensive, irresponsible antic, Mary’s extravagant act of worship was highly esteemed by Jesus Himself, and then recorded in the Scriptures for all future generations to see.
What an inspiring example of worshipping with total abandon! This wasn’t just a case of bringing out the best china for Jesus’ visit. This is somebody who wanted to do a very beautiful thing for her Lord, making the most of her moment with Him. She didn’t just dab a little perfume behind Jesus’ ears, or even present Him with the whole jarful to take away. Mary worshipped. With every ounce of her being, she lavished adoration on her precious Savior. And Jesus calls this “a beautiful thing”; beautiful because there were no distractions, no ulterior motives, nothing else mattered to Mary at that moment except Jesus.
He longs for us today to offer Him “extravagant worship”. Not with perfume, but with our lives. We were intricately created to worship, and when we truly focus on Jesus, giving our very best to Him and Him alone, we are able to do something beautiful for Him.
(Published in Christian Devotions U.S.)
