April 14, 2025: Extravagant Love towards Jesus

In a small mountain village in northern India, there lived an elderly Christian widow named Lila. She had very little—just a small patch of land, a few chickens, and an old house with leaky windows. Every Sunday, she would walk several miles to attend a humble church, bringing with her a warm smile and a heart full of praise.

One winter, the church announced they were raising funds to build a shelter for orphaned children who had no place to go during the bitter cold. The members contributed what they could—some money, some food, some clothes. Lila had nothing to spare. Her pension was meager, and she barely had enough for her own needs.

But that night, as she prayed, she looked at the thick wool blanket on her bed. It had been her husband’s, hand-woven decades ago, and it was her most treasured possession—her only real source of warmth during the freezing nights.

She sat quietly, her hands gently running over the fabric. Then, with tears in her eyes, she folded it carefully, placed it in a bag, and brought it to church the next morning.

The pastor was surprised. “Lila, are you sure?” he asked.

She smiled and said, “This is my perfume. I have nothing else to give, but I want those children to sleep warm, even if I cannot.”

The blanket was eventually placed in the shelter’s main room, covering three small children each night. When visitors came, they often remarked how the shelter had a warmth—not just of heat, but of love.

That one act of sacrifice inspired others. Donations increased. The shelter grew. And long after Lila had passed, her love—like Mary’s perfume—lingered in that place.

 “Then Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” – John 12:3

Just six days before the Passover, Jesus comes to Bethany, where a dinner is given in His honor. Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, is there reclining at the table. Martha is serving. And then comes Mary – with a gesture so bold, so loving, so extravagant – she anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair.

What Mary did was deeply personal. It wasn’t loud or public like preaching. It was quiet worship. Pure adoration. And it filled the room with a fragrance that lingered. Isn’t that what true worship does? It leaves behind a sweet scent – of love, surrender, and reverence.

1. Worship That Costs

Mary’s perfume was worth a year’s wages. Judas, ever the critic, immediately pointed out the cost, suggesting it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But Jesus defends Mary’s act. Because love doesn’t count the cost. It gives. Freely. Extravagantly.

How often do we measure our offerings to God in terms of practicality rather than passion? Mary’s act reminds us that true devotion will always come with a cost – of time, of pride, of comfort. But it is that costly worship that touches Jesus’ heart.

2. Worship That is Personal

Mary didn’t care about what others thought. She let down her hair – something no self-respecting Jewish woman would do in public – and used it to wipe His feet. This was intimate. Vulnerable. Risky.

Real worship isn’t afraid to be seen as “too much.” It’s not about performance. It’s not about being proper. It’s about pouring your heart at Jesus’ feet – just as you are.

What would it look like for you to worship Jesus like Mary? To love Him with abandon, to let go of fear, pride, or reputation?

3. Worship That Prepares

Jesus said, “She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial.” (John 12:7) Mary may not have fully understood it, but her act was prophetic. In loving Jesus, she unknowingly prepared Him for the cross.

Our simple acts of love and obedience often carry more weight than we realize. Sometimes, in loving Jesus in our ordinary ways – cooking a meal, writing a note, helping a neighbor – we are participating in something far bigger than we know.

4. The Fragrance Lingers

Scripture tells us, “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” What a beautiful image. When we love Jesus wholeheartedly, our lives carry a fragrance that others can sense. A fragrance of peace, grace, and joy. The fragrance of Christ.

A Closing Thought

In a world that values logic, productivity, and success, Mary’s story is a reminder that Jesus values love. Simple. Genuine. Costly love.

So let us be like Mary. Let us worship Jesus not just with our words, but with our lives. Let our homes be filled with the fragrance of love poured out for our Savior.

What is your "perfume"? What is one thing you can pour out at Jesus’ feet today?