John 12:1-3

Jesus is personal with each one of us. Scripture invites His disciples to abide in a deep relationship with Him as friend (John 15:9-15). In John 12, we read a story that shows just how rich and intimate a friendship with Jesus can be. 

Jesus and His friends are enjoying dinner at the table when everything pauses for a moment. The scent of perfume filled the air. One lavish act of love and devotion interrupted dinner and turned heads.

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:1-3  

Six days before the Passover, and after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, Mary poured out her very most expensive, treasured perfume on Jesus’ feet. Mary didn’t do this as a religious act, showing off for her friends and trying to prove something to Jesus. Mary anointed the feet of Jesus, with pure nard that cost a year’s wage, and wiped it with her hair, as a humble response to Jesus’ love and in recognition of His royalty and glory.

Mary withheld nothing at this moment. She had experienced how worthy Jesus is of her worship and devotion, and this is her extraordinary response. This beckons us to wonder: have we withheld anything from Jesus for ourselves? Or has everything been given to Him as an offering? 

As disciples of Jesus, we are invited to serve Him and show Him our devotion in extravagant ways. We have daily opportunities to give Jesus our very best — our treasures, time, gifts and everything in between.

Verse 3 says, “So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Mary’s act of love and devotion was something that infiltrated the whole house. Our acts of devotion and love will bless others and encourage others to do the same. The fragrance of our worship to Jesus can be breathtaking and world-changing. 

In verse 2, we read that Martha, the sister of Mary, was also at the dinner. She was serving Jesus, Lazarus, and all of their dinner guests. We know from just the chapter before that Martha also loved Jesus, and recognized Him as the Son of God and Messiah (John 11:27). Her devotion and love for Jesus was shown, in this moment, simply by serving dinner.

Martha expressed her love by serving, while Mary responded with extravagant adoration. One was practical, the other was poetic — and both were pleasing to Jesus.

In everyday life, our worship and devotion to Jesus looks like serving dinner. Cleaning the house. Sending an encouraging message to a friend. Spending time reading the Bible. Changing diapers. Singing to worship music. Dropping off a coffee for someone going through a tough time. The acts of kindness and love we do behind the scenes, the things that no one else sees, are treasured by our King.

Jesus is honored in all of it — the ordinary and the extraordinary.

We all have everything to give Jesus. The opportunities are abundant. How will you show your love and devotion to Jesus this week? What are the ordinary, and the extraordinary ways that you can worship our King? 

May our lives be a fragrant offering to Jesus. 

May we always be found serving God.