1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Returning to Bethany just six days prior to the Passover, our Lord is an honored guest at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, was eating and drinking and reclining at the table with Him – giving clear evidence of his resurrection. Abounding proofs always exist in the wake of Jesus’ greatest miracles. Lazarus’ reclining stood as a monument of the miraculous. This demonstrates for us as well a faint glimmer of the future Marriage Supper of the Lamb does it not? Hang with me here - we have Jesus Christ being honored, we have the believer who dies and is raised again (Lazarus) and we have those believing who are found alive when our Lord returns (Martha and Mary). Paul tells us the following glorious truth:
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thess 4:13-18 (NIV)
Next we see the honor that was given Jesus by each sister according to their gifting. Scripture succinctly tells us Martha served. How like Martha! Serving was her specialty and while before she may have served begrudgingly, she now serves her Lord with an attitude of gratitude and love. What a lesson for us to learn as well. Whatever we are called to do – be it mundane or grand - we are to do wholly as unto the Lord. Indeed, He considers nothing as little if done in His name and for His glory. Paul tells us in Colossians:
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. Col 3:23-25 (NIV)
“Teach me, my God and King, in all things Thee to see, and what I do in anything to do it as for Thee.” George Herbert
“If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider ‘not spiritual work’ I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” Amy Carmichael
Oftentimes it is the faithfulness of the saints in the small things - the mundane things - that will capture the attention of others and help to point them to the Lord. The glam jobs can sometimes point to the vessel not to the One that empowers the vessel. All believers are merely jars of clay holding the richest of all Treasures:
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 2 Cor 4:7-11 (NIV)
Lastly, Mary shines forth in the sacrificial anointing of her Savior. Her love was strong, sincere and grateful – nothing was too costly for her Master. She wanted to give Him the highest honor regardless of the expense to herself. Lavishly pouring her costly possession and wiping the excess with her hair she demonstrates for us exquisite love. We would be wise to imitate her actions. Do we have a “Will Not Do List” for God? Have we placed a “Hand’s Off” sign on anything? It greatly behooves us to give Him the freedom to our all. What we cling to is merely an idol in our grasp and it is a demonstration of the lack of faith and trust not to mention love. We, as believers in Christ, are not our own – we have been bought with a high price we are therefore, to honor God with our all. Like King David who refused to offer God anything that did not cost him. It is not a sacrifice if it does not cost. Yet as we lavishly give, as Mary did in this case, we leave behind the aroma of Christ – a perfumed fragrance that fills the room. By the way, we can never out give God – He is no one’s debtor.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Cor 2:14-16 (NIV)