“Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, and expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus feet and wiped his feet with her hair . . .” ~John 12:3a & 3b
"Compliment what she does; Send her roses just because. If it’s violins she loves let them play; . . . Sacrifice if you care; Buy her some moonlight to wear; If there’s one more star she wants, go all the way . . . Love her today; Find one hundred ways.” Such is the relationship advice given by the late R&B singer, James Ingram, in his Grammy Award winning song, “100 Ways.” His soulful suggestion is simply this---show love to your significant other with a continuous flow of lavish displays of affection, So, basically, the lyrics of this song ask us to adopt a model of expressing love in actions that are decidedly pricey, profuse, and personal.
This song encourages us to exhibit an extravagant display of devotion, similar to what Mary showed and poured on Jesus when she anointed Him in Bethany. He was spending time with Mary, Martha, Lazarus in their home, six days before the Passover (John 12: 1) when “Mary took a pint of pure nard, and expensive perfume; poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair (v.3a & b), as he reclined in a chair during a dinner party in his honor.
Mary deeply loved Jesus because of the many favors He had bestowed on her and her family, but especially for the wonderful kindness He had lately shown to her brother. Mary demonstrated her love with the lavish act of taking the very best she had---her costly perfume and pouring it all on His feet. Then, in a humble display of devotion Mary undid her hair to use it as a towel to dry Jesus’ feet.
During the rest of this Lenten season, let us pour on Jesus the ointment of our best affections and make a lavish display as we serve Him, sit at His feet, and sacrifice our time, gifts, and money. Embracing this kind of affection as part of an extravagant display of devotion to Jesus is nothing less than the costly, precious gift of one’s whole self---down to the very last strand of hair.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for demonstrating your love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Help us to demonstrate our love for you with lavish displays of affection. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Pour on your praise for Jesus because he poured out his life at Calvary for you.