WHAT SHALL I GIVE?

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  John 12:3  NIV

While in Paris a few years ago, my girls and I visited Fragonard’s Perfume Museum.  What an incredible time we had – not only did we learn about the process of perfume making, but the flowers, spices, and special components used.  The rooms were filled with fragrance.  It was simply delicious. 

We smelled our way through the tour, then got to try our noses at identifying the many layers (notes) of each perfume.  Many times we got it right, but there were subtleties, to our untrained noses and minds, we could not detect. 

Of course, we purchased true parfums from Fragonard so we could have bragging rights of owning French parfum.  And our bottles are quite small – however, large enough to last a lifetime, seeing how a little goes a long way.

Picture this scene: Jesus was summoned to the home of Lazarus because Lazarus was ill.  His sisters knew Jesus, as He spent much time there – in a sense, their home in Bethany was Jesus’s southern headquarters.  He came here often; both Mary and Martha served Him.  And loved Him.  They knew Jesus loved them, as well as their brother –

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”  John 11:3  NIV

Jesus did go, eventually.  He lingered two more days where He was, then headed to Bethany. By the time He arrived to their village, not even their home, He got word Lazarus was dead and buried in a tomb for four days (John 11:17).

Martha heard of His coming and ran to meet Him, and told Him,

“If You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask.”  John 11:23  NIV

Yes, she was bold.  Yes, she was brazen.  And yes, she believed.

A grieving sister needed comfort and she let shed her words of grief to her Friend – the One who had put His feet under her table so many times.  She needed answers; so she asked.  And Jesus answered; yet did not rebuke.  He understands grief.

Martha left Jesus and went home to her sister Mary, to let her know Jesus had come and was asking for her (Jesus was indeed asking for her, much like does us.  Ponder that for a moment.).  Mary took off running.

Her Master, her Lord, was in the village, asking for her.  When she got to Him, she fell at His feet, stating the same thing as her sister.  The difference between the two?  Location.  Mary was at His feet, weeping.

This is the Mary who fell at Jesus’s feet weeping.  The same Mary who stood by Jesus’s side when Lazarus’s tomb was opened.  And the same Mary who saw Jesus weep too. She now shared in His grief.

Fast forward a few days to our verse in John 12:3.  Jesus was in Bethany again, and we find Mary at His feet again.  And again, she is weeping.  But for a different reason.

Worship.

Yes, through the Holy Spirit, Mary anointed Jesus for His upcoming suffering, death and burial.  She obeyed and was overwhelmed with the goodness of God.  Her friend was indeed Her Saviour.

By way of comparison - 16 oz (ounces) is a common size of coffee.

She poured about a pint of rich expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet.  Two cups of perfume.  Two cups!  I have less than an ounce of French parfum and it is a treasure – Mary poured two cups of her inheritance onto Jesus’s feet – the very place nails would soon pierce.

In that time and in that culture, a woman had this inheritance to bring to her marriage as it was costly.  Treasured and valued.  Mary used her inheritance to anoint Jesus in a most unusual way: on His feet, not His head, being a woman in that society, this was most unusual, and…Jesus called it beautiful (Matthew 26:10).

What can be our takeaway from this?  Much.  This same woman went from grief to worship.  From questions to obedience.  And we find her always at the feet of Jesus.  Are we in this same spot?  Do we have questions?  Are we in grief?  Are we willing to be at the feet of Jesus in obedience and worship?  Even if we do not understand?

That might be the very thing that gets us.  Doing without understanding.  This is where courage steps in – doing it scared.

Immediately He (Jesus) spoke to them and said, “Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  Mark 6:50  NIV

We can have courage because Jesus is right here with us.  We can pour out whatever it is we have in our hands, we can be at His feet, we can be in a storm-tossed boat – wherever we are – let us just give.

Give it all to Jesus.

PRAYER

Father God, What can I give You? I give You my heart. In the waiting, in the storm, in the grief. I give You me.