Martha was moving to and fro as she prepared to serve their dinner guests. Lazarus was already reclining at the table with the honored guest, Jesus, along with His disciples. It was six days before Passover and Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. He would stay with this family the entire week.

Lazarus must have delighted in recounting how it felt to be brought back to life at the loud command of Jesus. (See John 11:1-44)

Mary enters the room and goes to Jesus. She kneels at His feet and then she breaks the bottle of expensive and pours it out on His feet. Then she wiped Jesus”™ feet with her unbound hair.

(NIV) John 12:3 “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.”

This “˜act of devotion”™ was costly to her:

Her perfume was used up

Her hair was unbound in public as a “˜wanton”™ woman

Her wiping Jesus”™ feet was the duty of a servant

Mary”™s devotion to Jesus showed her love and humility before Him; her attention was on Jesus and not the others around that table.

John 12:3 says “and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

What are some of the significant truths we can learn from this phrase?

When we pour out our “˜act of devotion”™ to honor Jesus ““ the fragrance goes well beyond the act. The “˜house was filled with the fragrance”™, not just the room where this action took place.

When we give an “˜act of devotion”™ it is a sacrifice of love ““ Mary gave all of her very expensive perfume. Once the bottle was broken open all the perfume would be used.

Our “˜act of devotion”™ will leave a scent upon us after it is accomplished ““ Mary”™s hair and hands would have carried the scent with her as she left the room.

Any “˜act of devotion”™ will be done out of sincere love for the Lord Jesus and will impact the giver as well as any by-standers.

An “˜act of devotion”™ will be centered on Jesus and not on what others may think.

How will you show Jesus your love for Him today?