Broken and Poured Out!

Mark 14:3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, 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. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

This story must be pretty important because Jesus says wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has been done will be told in memory.  So what makes what the woman did so special? 

John 12 identifies the woman as Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. This is not the same sinful woman who brought the alabaster box of ointment, broke it, and anointed Jesus' feet with her hair.  Some of the disciples rebuked Mary for what they thought was a waste of money.  But Jesus had a different view of her gift. Why?

1. Her gift was an act of love. "With her simple love and devotion to Jesus, Mary understood what the disciples did not – that Jesus was about to die, and she intended this gift as a preparation for his burial." (Guzik)
2. Her gift was costly.  300 denarii would have represented a year's worth of wages.  The others present criticized her and said the gifts could have been given to the poor. "It’s easy to criticize those who show more love to Jesus than we do. We sometimes want to define a fanatic as someone who is more devoted to Jesus than we are." (Guzik)
3. Her gift was broken and poured out.  I can't help but think of when Paul said, "My life is being poured out as a drink offering" in both Philippians 2 and 2 Timothy 4.  As Mary poured out her expensive perfume, it was a symbol of her pouring herself out for Jesus.  
4. Her gift was bold.  You can only imagine how much courage it took for Mary to pour out this expensive perfume on Jesus' head.  Jesus was a prominent rabbi and women in Jesus' culture would be reluctant to approach a rabbi, much less pour perfume over his head.  

Jesus thought Mary's act of devotion was pretty special for all the reasons above. In obedience to Jesus, we are re-telling the story of Mary's anointing Jesus for his burial today.  And we can continue this story as we are broken and poured out for Jesus.  We can give Jesus a costly gift, our lives.  As we do this some may misunderstand, but we know Jesus will cherish our gift because it is an offering of thanks to him for all he has done for us.