Extravagant Abandon

Suggested reading: John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover celebration, Jesus was at the home of Lazarus, where a dinner party was set in Jesus’ honour. Martha was there rocking all the details of hospitality and serving the guests well. Lazarus and Jesus were reclining at the table with the other guests. And Mary took a position that would be talked about for thousands of years to come. She knelt down at Jesus’ feet and displayed extravagant abandon.

“Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.” – John 12:3

Mary shows us what a life that is fully committed to Jesus looks like, in this grand gesture of humility and devotion. The act of breaking the jar and pouring it over Jesus, was not only significant to His upcoming death and burial, but it signified her own life being poured out – the act of giving up her old sinful life and submitting herself to Him.

She poured it all out.

And it cost her greatly.

The jar of perfume was worth about 300 denarii, which was equivalent at that time to a year’s wages. (approx. $30,000 in today’s dollars) Mary’s act of worship and adoration for Jesus was not minuscule in any way. It was selfless, and honouring to Jesus in every single way. Her heart’s desire to show her love to Him, called her to action, and required her resources to be used to glorify the Son of God.

The Alabaster jar illustrates a life poured out for Christ and in itself portrays the gospel story. As Christ poured out His blood for us on the cross of Calvary, giving all of Himself for us, we too are called to give our entire selves to Him. In our love for Him, we should desire to be like Him. To give all that we have because we know Him to be the most important person in our life.

Mary was motivated by her love for Jesus - and it cost her something. In the same way, when we come to know Jesus and accept His love that He gives freely to us, even in spite of our past sin, we too can live a life redeemed because of our Redeemer, but it will cost us. Surrendering our thoughts to be renewed by His Truth. Surrendering our emotions to be secured and led by the Holy Spirit. Surrendering our will to God’s perfect will. As we follow Him, we’ll be required to trust Him with our time, our resources, our family, our future, and more. When He leads us, we’ll be faced with the choice to follow Him regardless of the cost. Will we follow Him anyway?

As Mary exemplified pouring out extravagant love for her Redeemer, will we too be women of God who live with extravagant abandon, surrendering all that we are, and all that we have to Him and His ways? I believe that we can love Him this much! That we can worship Him and bring glory to Him in how we think, speak, and act – giving Him our whole lives. Amen? Amen!