Tuesday, March 16 “Extravagance”
40 DAYS and 40 NIGHTS
John 12:1-8
3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
As John’s story turns to the final days of Jesus’ life, here is Mary, a faithful follower and now model of Christian discipleship. She doesn’t utter a word, but her extravagant act, the use of costly fragrance to anoint Jesus’ feet, is a faithful witness to the even more costly and extravagant act that is about to occur. She wasted her perfume on Jesus. We can speculate on her reasons… maybe she was grateful for the raising of her brother Lazarus; maybe she is aware of what is about to happen to Jesus; maybe she is just outlandish in her behavior. We don’t really know. But we do know it did not set well with some of the other disciples.
Evelyn Underhill writes that worship “is summed up in sacrifice;” generosity in the face of God’s grace in our lives. Is it too excessive? Can compassion ever be too extravagant?
When have you been extravagant in your giving? Your service? Do you know of other examples of this kind of sacrifice?
I’m always amazed by Mary’s generosity displayed through this act, for she doesn’t think twice about this display of reverence. How lucky we would all be if we could celebrate the Lord’s grace with such an opening and loving acknowledgement.
Like Ms. Underhill, I agree that one can never be too extravagant in giving or service. Where I struggle is in knowing that I don’t always prioritize my life and giving this way.
I really like Erin’s comments! Mary had a capacity which I could only yearn for! She was able to RECEIVE in such great measure that what appears as an act of generosity is more about the capacity of, as Erin says, celebrating “the Lord’s grace with such an opening and loving acknowledgement.” It is as if she is sitting at Jesus’ feet with her heart and soul wide open RECEIVING God’s love in the very moments she is expressing the out-flowing (GIVING) of sheer unthinking joy in recognition. Mary receives as much as she can and simultaneously, without thinking or planning, or even claiming afterwards, she gives back as much as she can….