Something Beautiful

She walked into the room that night, a vial of extravagantly expensive perfume in her hand. Without hesitating, she broke the bottle open. Exquisite fragrance filled the room. Everyone at the party noticed. Most of them were mortified as she walked to the guest of honor and poured the perfume on His feet and on His head.

I mean, really.

She shouldn’t have gone in there. It was more like a For Men Only Event.

The women were pretty much expected to hang out in the kitchen. Cook. Serve. Wash dishes. Watch the kids. You know, make yourself useful and whatever you do, don’t rock the status quo.

Uh, Mary didn’t get the memo.

And Mary didn’t care.

She was that way. One time her sister, Martha, was waybusy preparing a gourmet meal for their friend Jesus—the guest of honor at this banquet, too. However, Mary didn’t help Martha.

Mary stayed near Jesus.

Mary listened to everything He said.

How cool is that.

But, of course, Martha got ticked off and tattled on her to Jesus. “Make Mary help me. I’m knocking myself out, and my sister hasn’t even offered to toss the salad. Don’t you think that she should at least rinse the veggies?”

Well, Jesus is like so totally awesome.

He explained that Mary had made a good choice. She chose Him over distractions and projects and activities. And Jesus talked so sweet to Martha that she stopped being angry with Mary.

But anyway, back to the night Mary crashed the party.

Perfume still in the bottle. Just a little.

People began to criticize her. A lot.

Friends, fans, and family of Jesus, supposedly.

“Woman, what were you thinking? Do you realize that an ordinary working man would have to labor for a whole year to earn enough money to purchase perfume like this?”

Another said, “What a waste. We could have sold the stuff and bought enough food to feed thousands."

And, “Who do you think you are? Don’t you care about starving children?”

Indignant? Sure they were. On behalf of the poor you know.

Now, Mary didn’t mean to be contrary. Didn’t mean to cause confusion.

But Mary broke more than just a bottle of perfume.

She broke out of her comfort zone.

She broke some worn out traditions and expectations.

She broke through barriers.

She was rejected, rebuked, ridiculed. But not by Jesus.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have Me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for My burial “ Mark 14:6-8.

Mary did something special for Jesus. Something beautiful. She anointed His precious, holy body for burial. After His crucifixion, several women went to the tomb to prepare His body for a proper burial. Although they arrived before daylight on the first day after the Sabbath, they were too late. He had already risen from the dead. Mary had already done what her friends tried unsuccessfully to do.

Mary saw something beautiful in Jesus. She recognized Him as being the Passover Lamb. The lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. Sacrificed for the sins of the whole world.

Mine.

Yours.

He did Something Beautiful for us.

What will we do for Him?