Mary had something valuable in her possession. She had a vial of expensive perfume worth about one year’s wages. This perfume was something one would typically save for a special person and a special occasion.
And Mary brought that vial to Jesus and broke it....meaning she fully committed to using it. She lavished it’s contents upon the Savior. She used her own hair( her personal glory) to humbly serve Him as she wiped the perfume upon His body. And the Bible says the aroma filled the room.
Why did she do this? I believe it was because Mary actually comprehended many of the teachings of Jesus about his coming death. The Bible tells us she would sit at his feet to learn from Him. She also witnessed the miracle of Jesus raising her brother from the dead. She connected that her value, her significance, her very life was all about Him and she was grateful. She willingly, whole heartedly, and unreservedly wanted to honor Jesus because she valued Him more than anything the world had to offer.
I think about that broken vial of perfume and I think about how God uses broken things, especially our hearts. Only the love of Christ can truly break our hearts and penetrate through the selfishness, the fears, the uncertainties, the sinful desires, the focus on this world and on our own fierce fight for self preservation. Our broken vessels release the fragrance of Christ...our willingness to sacrifice, our cheerful giving of our resources, our wholehearted willingness to serve Him.
Mary believed the promises of God and surrendered what she had for his glory. She trusted the words and teachings of Jesus. God promises to use our selfless dedication and service...to use our broken vessels ...to use the aroma of our offerings to enrich our lives and the lives of others.
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:2
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,”
2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Do you feel broken? Well, take heart, for God uses broken things...
“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever- Vance Howard
Whatever difficult experience you are going through is opportunity to learn from God and depend on him. I’m sure Mary learned much from the death of her brother and his resurrection. One thing she learned is how much he cared about her sorrow:
“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” John 11:32-33
And we know that Jesus wept too. But as Jesus pointed out to her, the difficult circumstance was ultimately for God’s glory. Jesus doesn’t leave us broken. Our brokenness serves great purposes even though we may not fully comprehend it all in this life. But he promises to comfort us and restore us.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3
My hope is that you will trust God and wholeheartedly commit your resources to Him. May your life be a fragrant and pleasing witness of His love to all you meet.