But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing for Me … She has done what she could; she has anointed My Body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”  Mark 14:6-9 ESV¹

Read Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 & John 12:1-8

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus, therefore, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So, they gave a dinner for Him there” (John 12:1-2a) “in the house of Simon the leper” (Matthew 26:6b). “Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. Mary, therefore” (John 12:3a) “came up to Him with an alabaster flask” (Matthew 26:7a) containing “a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard” (John 12:3b), “and she broke the flask and poured it over [Jesus’] head” (Mark 14:3b) “and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3c). What a touching scene—Jesus spending time with His dearest friends, celebrating a miracle, being emotionally encouraged as He prepared for the future, soaking up the personalized way each of those in attendance shared his/her adoration of Him, all while a beautiful fragrance filled the air. But not everyone was feeling the love.

“There were some who said to themselves indignantly, ‘Why was the ointment wasted like that?’ … And they scolded her” (Mark 14:4b-5). “Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (he who was about to betray Him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:5). “But Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My Body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” (Mark 14:6-9).

You have undoubtedly heard of this event more than once. After all, wherever the Gospel has been preached, this story has been told–Jesus said it would be. Often, when this account is repeated, the focus is placed on the extravagance of Mary’s gift. And her gift was lavish. An expensive, alabaster bottle of costly perfume broken and entirely poured out. The container was wrecked never to be used again. When the penetrating smell of the musky perfume finally faded, a year’s worth of wages vanished into thin air.

But Jesus never focused on the extravagance. He said, “‘She has done what she could’” (Mark 14:8). He didn’t liken her gift to that of the widow who, in giving two small coins, gave “all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). To Jesus, it didn’t really matter if this bottle of pure nard was one of several bottles of perfume Mary owned, albeit the nicest, or if it was the only inheritance she had received from her father intended for the survival of Mary and her siblings for the rest of their lives. Jesus’ focus was on the act, not the expense. The deed and Mary’s reason for performing it was what Jesus thought was beautiful.

The disciples were indignant about what they considered Mary’s wastefulness, yet they had also made great sacrifices. At the very least, each of them had given up three and a half year’s salary to follow Jesus. Some had left everything with no hope of ever going back to the life they had before. And maybe that was their problem with Mary and what she had done. They had left their past assuming they were going to be part of something greater in the future, namely Jesus overthrowing Rome’s rule. Mary’s reckless abandonment was not an investment but an extravagant act of pure love. The only thing she got out of her sacrifice was the simple joy of knowing Jesus was honored.

The disciples were continually concerned over what was in it for them. Peter was anxious about what reward the disciples would receive considering they had left everything to follow Jesus (see Matthew 19:27 & Mark 10:28). Several of Jesus’ chosen disciples argued about which one of them was greatest (see Luke 9:46 & Mark 9:33-34). James and John wanted prime positions in Jesus’ Kingdom (see Matthew 20:20-21 & Mark 10:35-37). Judas Iscariot kept track of the money and used to help himself to some of it (see John 12:6). The disciples had left everything to join Jesus but His Kingdom was slow in coming. As time passed, Jesus’ call to free Israel began to look very different from what His disciples had expected.

As Jesus repeatedly and specifically told the Twelve He must be put to death, He attempted to prepare them for God’s perfect but unanticipated plan (see Matthew 16:21-28, 20:17-19, 26:1-2; Mark 8:31-32, 9:30-32, 10:33-34, 14:27-28; Luke 9:22-27, 18:31-33 & John 2:19-20, 13:7,19, 20:9). “But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask Him” (Mark 9:32). Even when Peter once seemed to comprehend what Jesus was attempting to get across, he protested, “‘Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You’” (Matthew 16:22). Jesus chastised Peter with, “‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man’” (Matthew 16:23). Indeed, they could not understand God’s plan, because too often their focus was on themselves. Therefore, they did nothing to prepare Jesus’ Body or their own spirits for Jesus’ upcoming sacrifice.

Why could Mary understand what Jesus’ closest disciples missed? How could she have been so sure of what Jesus was saying that she went so far as to publicly anoint Jesus’ Body beforehand for burial? How was it that she walked boldly in obedience to do what she knew she had to do even if her authentic act of love might be improperly interpreted by others? She could only have had this assurance and confidence if she had learned to intently listen, expectantly hear, and completely obey God.

Recall an earlier event involving Mary. This event took place in her home, the home she shared with her sister, Martha, and her brother, Lazarus. “Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her'” (Luke 10:38-42).

Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him teach. Somehow, she was able to tune out all of the chaos and demands of the world around her. According to Jesus, she chose the good portion, the one thing that was necessary. That choice put her life in perspective and allowed her to live her life for the audience of One. What mattered most to her was connecting with and pleasing Jesus.

Mary’s life consisted not only of sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. Though that in itself is a was a step ahead of what many took the time to do. Mary didn’t stop with sitting and listening to Jesus; she put her love of Him into action. In sitting at the feet of Jesus, Mary chose the good portion that benefitted her. In drawing close to the head of Jesus, Mary was able to bless Him. Mary’s love for Jesus prompted her to do what she could for Him with what she had in her possession. And Jesus said her service to Him was a beautiful thing.

Life at the head and feet of Jesus came with rewards. Jesus promised, “‘Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what [Mary had] done [would] be told in memory of her” (Mark 14:9). But Mary’s prize wasn’t just futuristic. Notice that Mary didn’t respond to the disciples’ scolding or Judas’ hurtful comments. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge the opinions of the naysayers present at the meal. What others thought didn’t determine what Mary did, so what others said didn’t hurt her feelings.

Those who live their lives at the head and feet of Jesus know themselves well enough to have grace for others. They realize, as humans, it is almost impossible for us to pass a reflective surface without at least glancing at ourselves. Call it self-preservation, pride, or trying to get a leg up, but this is part of our DNA. It is what led to Eve’s original sin, Moses’ inability to enter the Promised Land, and Solomon’s downfall. None of us are immune to at least occasionally looking out for ourselves. But those who live their lives at the head and feet of Jesus are too enamored with Him to keep looking at themselves.

Those who have chosen the good and necessary portion about which Jesus spoke know Jesus well enough that they are characterized by a certain peace. They are confident that if they need to be defended, they need not do it themselves. Those who have spent time at the head of Jesus beautifully blessing Him know His love well. Jesus will stick up for those who are so in love with Him. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord’ … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19 & 21).

Those who spend time at the head and feet of Jesus begin to think like Jesus thinks and walk like Jesus would walk. They have the mind of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:16) and have the power to act like Him. In spending time at Jesus’ head and feet, believing and reacting accordingly to all He says, it is as if they become His head and feet. They know what it means to be in Christ and have Christ in them (see John 15:5 & 1 John 2:6). The world around them cannot help but notice even if it doesn’t fully understand what is happening.

May we each choose, in ever-increasing measure, the good and necessary portion which Mary chose. As we spend time at Jesus’ head and feet, may we be transformed into His likeness. And may we who call ourselves Christians find peace in doing what we can with what we have in response to what we heard at the feet of Jesus without regard to the opinions of those who have more of a tendency to look into the mirror than into the face of their Master. May Jesus’ estimation of the love we have shown Him be what is preserved after we leave this Earth.

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.