What was the most expensive gift have you ever given to someone? What motivated you to spend that much for the person? Apparently, when you are motivated by love, price is not a constraint; but nothing is too expensive when you spend it for the one you love. Also, when you are motivated by love, you do not mind bearing the shame and risking your life to save or protect that person, do you?
Judas and Mary. On the outset, both of them appeared to be sincere followers of Jesus. Nonetheless, we see the difference when we look at their lives closely. John 12 reveals to us a stark contrast between the character and motives of Judas and Mary, and ultimately, in the way they valued Jesus Christ. Judas Iscariot was chosen to be part of Jesus' inner circle. Judas probably had a career that he had to leave in order to follow Jesus. The disciples trusted Judas enough for them to delegate their group's money box to him. None of them ever assumed he would steal their funds nor sell their master for 30 silver coins. But in reality, Judas pilfered money. Thus, it was not a surprise to hear a rebuke from him such as what retorted to Mary. "Whay was this perfume not sold for three hundred dinarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Eventually the same greed led him to hand Jesus over to the chief priest and elders in exchange of 30 silver coins, which at that time was the price of a slave - the price that tag Judas set on his master's head. He saw something in Jesus that was worth his time but not worth his heart.
Mary of bethany, on the other hand, was a close friend of Jesus. For her, the cost was not an issue. Mary took a pound of very costly perfumeof pure nard, and annointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with wthe fragrance of the perfume (John 12:3).
Nard was an expensive oitment imported from India. The scriptures shows that Mary did not mind consuming this perfume worth a year's wages just to demonstrate her love for Jesus. Mary considered everything rubbish compared to love for Jesus. She honored Jesus by anointing His feet wit pure nard and wiping it with her hair. Mary's acct was a statement in itself, telling us that she regarded the best part of her, which in her case was her crowning glory, her hair, as nothing compared to the least part of Jesus, His feet. Her act of worship was done extravagance, in humility and with self-abandonment. It didn't matter what people woould say and do to her if only to give the honor to the One whom it is due. She reckoned Jesus worthy of her everything. People who claim to be followers of Jesus almost look the same from the outside but inside they have different motivations for doing what they do. What Judas regarded was a waste of money, Mary generously poured out as her love offering to Jesus. Judas had a superficial religion but Mary found a loving relationship in Jesus. Judas followed Jesus for selfish gain, but Mary followed Jesus selfless giving. We remember Judas for a life that led to self-destruction while Mary will forever be remembered as the woman who honored God by ofgering her best.
Our love for Jesus is observed in our attitude and behaviour not only in public but also in private lives. When people look at us, do they see Jesus? When they come closer to us, do they feel the love of God? Jesus said in Matthew 25:42, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." How much we value Jesus will be evident in our lives for others. Jesus told his dicisples, "A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my dicisples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35).
What about you? How much do you value Jesus? Remember that you can only give what you have. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19). Do you already have a loving relationship with Jesus to begin with? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). If you have not started a personla relationship with Jesus, you can come to him today and surrender your life to him. In this time of crisis, we have before us countless opportunities to show God how much He means to us by actively loving others. What is that nard that you can pour out as a sign of your devotion to him? What is that costly perfume that you can offer to our brothers and sisters who are in great need?
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