A family member once gave me an entire box of cologne that I forgot in the trunk of my car. After a while, the box took on one too many turns, and the bottles inside came out. I knew immediately when one of the bottles finally broke. The smell quickly covered the entire car.
And there was no hiding or containing the smell for weeks.
In John 12, Mary breaks open a jar of expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet. John tells us the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Not only was it costly and excessive, but the smell was also unmistakable. I imagine it lingered for a while, too.
I'll offer to you today that that is what happens when we do not contain our love for God.
Of course, Judas made a stink about it. From his distance, Mary's devotion looks wasteful. It doesn’t make sense to pour out something so valuable in a single moment. But Jesus doesn’t feel the same way. He corrected Judas and received her gift. Because what she offered wasn’t just perfume. I was her heart, poured out completely and intently.
We spend so much of our lives trying to keep things sealed. Our time, our resources, even our worship. We measure it so we can manage it. We wouldn't want to waste anything, after all. But Mary shows us something different. That sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is to break open what you’ve been holding back.
Because real love and devotion to God isn't to be contained. It should fill the rooms of our lives.
Don't worry. What you pour out for Christ doesn't disappear and isn't wasted. It lingers in the air and becomes a testimony for everyone else. That's because a life poured out for Jesus will always leave a fragrance behind.
Stay blessed...john
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