What can you pour for Him?

In 2008, as a first year University student, my roommate gave me a very expensive perfume. Her mother was a business owner who sold items she imported from Dubai. I must confess, that was the first time I had used such an expensive and good smelling perfume. The perfume was in a very little jar and my friend expected it to finish in about a month. I used it throughout my first year. I only used it for church services and other important events. Imagine if I had to pour all that perfume on another person. At that time, I was very sure that even if my friend told me to break the bottle and receive a new one, I wouldn’t have agreed. When we get important and expensive things, we are generally committed to holding on to it with all diligence. Our natural inclination is to guard our valuables with all diligence. Sometimes, we become over protective that even the Lord is not excused when it comes to things we hold so dear.

a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.‭‭ (Matthew‬ ‭26:7‬)

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, offered an expensive gift to the Lord. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:6‭-‬7‬ mentions that “While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. ‭‭Mark’s account (Mark 14:3‬) mentions that  “a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” The cost of this perfume was more than the whole year’s wage: “Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.” (‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:4‭-‬5‬). Jesus’ response was this:  “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”‭‭ (Mark‬ ‭14:6‭-‬9‬). What lessons can we glean from Mary’s sacrifice?

Love the Lord your God with your whole being: Mary demonstrated a profound love for the Lord that extended beyond the value of a year’s wages. She didn’t care about the loss of breaking the perfume on Jesus. In Mark‬ 12:30‬, when Jesus was asked the most important commandment, this was His reply: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Our love for the Lord should be multidimensional. We should love Him even with our resources, our time, our strength and everything.  

Love is sacrificial: In pouring the expensive perfume on Jesus, Mary sacrificed something so dear to her. This could be all that she possessed.  It could have been her most valuable possession. Yet Mary sacrificed it for the love of the Lord. Infact, God the Father also demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans‬ ‭5:8‬). Love gives unconditionally. 

Don’t allow critics to hold you down: The decision to let go of something so dear will always come with criticism. Mary’s action met criticism not from outside but within. Those who encountered this woman’s deep outpouring of love condemned her action. 

Mark’s account reports that “Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.” (‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:4‭-‬5‬).

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:8‭-‬9‬ mentions that‬‬ “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:39‬ ‭states that “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

‭‭John‬ ‭12:4‭-‬6‬ ‭mentions that “But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

All the four gospels clearly indicated a criticism of Mary’s action.

Raise a monument: Mary’s act was not just an ordinary event. This incident was recorded by all the gospel writers as a significant event. Although the other people criticized Mary, Jesus saw this action as His pre-burial anointing. Jesus’ reply to the critics was this: “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” ‭‭(John‬ ‭12:7‭-‬8‬). In anointing Jesus, Mary touched an important aspect of Jesus’ purpose on earth: to die for sinners. Her gesture of love became a monumental task. Jesus said, Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:13‬).

Mary performed an act of love and ended up in the Bible as the one who anointed God’s Messiah for His sacrificial work on the cross. You might not have an expensive perfume to pour, yet you can genuinely demonstrate deep love and reverence for the Lord through your service and worship. Pour unto Him a fragrance of love and watch that produce a ripple effect. 

Mary and her alabaster box: Anointing Jesus

When you understand the full package of our salvation through the finished works of Christ, you will be compelled to live daily to please Jesus Christ. Imagine committing the worse of all sins, one of which you are liable to imprisonment and you plead guilty. Then the judge handling your case declares you quilty worthy of imprisonment. While you were patiently waiting for the judge to declare the terms of your sentence and how long you will spend in jail, the judge says: ‘You are guilty as charged but I have laid your sin on my only son. He will take the sentence on your behalf. You are free, go but do not commit those things that you did again.’ I believe until someone taps you to show that you are not dreaming, you might find it hard to believe. How can this be? Is this possible? This story is very related to what God did for us through the atoning death of His Son Jesus. Before Jesus died for us, some people were set free from bondages and others also received forgiveness from their sins. This post will consider one woman who received so much from the Lord Jesus Christ and out of her heart gave out her precious possession.

A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. (Matthew 26:7)

Jesus’ ministry reached out to the sinners and those who the religious leaders of his day shunned. He ministered to maniacs, demon possessed, adulterous people, those with leprosy and blood issues (all tagged unclean by the religious leaders) among many others. According to Luke 7:36, Jesus was invited by a Pharisee to a dinner in his house at a town called Bethany. Jesus accepted the invitation and went and reclined at the table as was the practice. The Pharisee represents the self-righteous religious leaders. While Jesus was there, “a woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (Luke 7:37‭-‬38). I can imagine the shock on the face of the Pharisee. John’s gospel even gives more details. This woman is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 11:2). John also gives details of perfume: “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).

Mary did not pour any oil, she poured expensive oil and this act caught the attention of Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed Jesus). Judas objected to Mary’s action and said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” (John 12: 5). Mary’s worship, which was the anointing of Jesus, was worth a year’s wages! Mary understood what it meant to be loved irrespective of your past. She didn’t hold on to her alabaster jar, she poured it on Jesus’ feet. Judas on the other hand, although had been with Jesus all this while, cared not about worshiping Him with his best. In fact, according to the gospel of John, Judas didn’t make that comment because he really cared about the poor. Judas was a thief and as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:6). Judas lived with Jesus, travelled with Jesus, ministered with Jesus and even was sent to heal the sick and share the Good News but he was not transformed, and Judas couldn’t lay before the feet of Jesus what matters most to him. Mary encountered Jesus, received a transformation and gave out her most expensive perfume to honour Jesus.

Even the Pharisee who had invited Jesus said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39).
“Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:40‭-‬47).

Before Mary left the house, Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven” and, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:48‭, ‬50). Mary left relieved and satisfied. She fulfilled her call to anoint Jesus. Her action was not to gain commendation, according to Jesus, “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (John 12:7‭-‬8). Remember, after the death of Jesus, by the time the women got to the tomb on the third day to anoint Jesus, He had already resurrected. Imagine if Mary had missed that!

What do you have to pour at the feet of Jesus today? One gospel musician (MOG) said, “we lay our crowns and worship You”. Be ready to lay down that which matters most to you at the feet of Jesus. Your degree, wealth, marriage, job, children etc., should not prevent you from worship. Mary broke her very expensive alabaster jar, and worshipped even when it seemed foolish to the Pharisee and Judas Iscariot. Don’t allow naysayers to disrupt you, worship Christ with what matters most to you (your crown). He deserves it!