By Will Heydel
Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:3-11, Luke 22:3-6, Psalm 50:23
Almost thirteen years ago, I became a father, and for the first time experienced the kind of unconditional, sacrificial, steadfast, selfless love that comes with being a parent. This love comes with a significant cost, an unhindered relinquishing of self for the good of the other.
In Mark 14, we see a woman who, in her deep understanding of Jesus’s divinity, decides it is worth giving up everything she has so that God would be glorified. What did she relinquish? Something that came at a very high price—pure nard oil. On that day, this oil would have yielded more than 300 days wages for a laborer or about ten months of work. What was she doing? She was preparing Jesus’s body for His coming burial. More than that, I imagine she was saying in her heart, “You are Lord, and all I have is yours.” Her profound faith is evident in her actions. Jesus’s disciples couldn’t believe it! Some insisted the oil could “have been sold…and given to the poor (v.5).” Many theologians believe this was Mary, Lazarus’s sister, who sat and listened to what Jesus had to say when He was in her home (Luke 10:38–42). Mary was present with Jesus, and she knew He had the words of eternal life.
What were the disciples worried about? Financial gain. But these things fade away. Jesus said, “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body in advance for burial” (Mark 14:8). To those who witnessed this moment, her actions were considered foolish based on the worth they had placed on the material good. But Jesus didn’t see it this way. He said, “She has done a noble thing for me” (v.6). Jesus saw her actions as an expression of love and devotion.
What did it cost God to demonstrate His love and devotion toward you? His one and only Son. God loved us so much that He gave up His Son for you and me. The Christian life is not a convenience; it will cost you something. It might cost you a relationship, a friendship, your time, your money, or a career. For some, it has cost them their lives. This story shows us that for those who are followers of Jesus, it costs us a complete surrender of our hearts.
Written by Will Heydel
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