A Heart Response

Jn. 11:3

"Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair."

In this chapter Mary, the sibling of Martha and Lazarus, openly showed her devotion to Jesus by anointing the feet of Jesus with a very expensive ointment and then wiping them with her hair. Mary's family were good friends of Jesus; in fact, Jesus loved Lazarus and raised him from the dead. Mary, as opposed to her sister, was a person of devotion. She chose to be at the feet of Jesus listening and worshiping while Martha scurried around readying the meal and the house. Even though Martha was upset with her to the point that she talked to Jesus about Mary's inattention to the household duties, Mary did not change. On this day, Judas openly censured her because of her waste of such a precious resource, but none of this stopped Mary. Her heart was for Jesus. She knew that worship and adoration was her soul's deep need.

In Lk. 7:36-50 there is a similar story, but here it is a woman of questionable morals. When she heard that Jesus was in the Pharisee's house, she walked right into the house. Even though she was unwelcome, she came right in so that she could anoint His feet with her tears, her hair, and her costly ointment. Her act of devotion took harsh criticism as well, but it did not involve money but her personal character. How hard must it have been for her to walk into a Pharisee's house? Talk about a hostile environment!

The heart response of both of these very different women was the same. All their devotion was centered on Jesus as they gave what was costly in the face of censure and criticism. In both women, I see unveiled humility and transparent emotion. Their place of worship was at His feet, and instead of a cloth, they used their hair and tears. In essence they were both saying that Jesus was more important to them than all their financial resources and their pride. A love as great as this could not be hidden from the eyes of a hostile world. What is my love and devotion like? Does it involve great cost and emotion? Do I openly love Jesus in spite of censure and criticism?

Father,

What a great example of love and devotion! When I look deep in my heart, I don't see such humility, emotion, or transparency. Cleanse me and grow my love for Jesus. Show me how to make this devotion a reality in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen