Jesus was at Bethany
In Simon the leper's home.
A woman came to Him him and taking an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil she poured it on his head.
Response of the disciples: why the waste? Could have it been sold and the proceeds used on the poor?
Jesus response: don't trouble the woman. You will always have the poor but you won't always have me.
Purpose behind what she did: preparation for His burial.
Her legacy will be passed on where ever the gospel is preached in the whole world.
Details from John 12 to add more information to the story.
The woman was Mary sister of Martha and Lazarus
The value of her oil was three hundred denarii, about one years wages.
Judas was listed as the disciple bringing up the concern behind her money spent on it. And it also mentions Judas being a thief and taking from the money put into the money box.
Application.
I am once again brought back to the attention on Mary. That was what I was told this year to be for me, a year to be a Mary not a Martha. To sit more at His feet. Honestly with four children it's hard to figure out time to be a Mary. Or to be just be a Mary naturally.
Not an easy act for a busy mom to follow.
In this story we see another aspect of Mary to copy into our lives.
Mary did not think of how much this gift was worth. She thought of how much value to receiver was, and so it was her way of doing something special and letting that person know that they are cared for and loved.
She was close enough to Jesus to have heard His words and know that His time was coming to be taken away. So she did something to help prepare Him in that. It was a selfless gift.
I think for myself, I want to remember once more the value of being a Mary. True, there is always poor, and I can think of a 100 ways to spend my time being a doer. And yes it is important work to be done. But to take time to be at His feet is what He has asked me to do. To show Him my devotion, my love, to give Him my very best, not concerned of the cost but of the importance and value of the One I am bringing my gift to. That is what He is calling me to do.
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