John 12:1-19

Mary and Judas

I have three young granddaughters. I love all three of them and they are each special in their own way but the one who seems to be the most interested in me is the one year old Maggie. One other thing that sets Maggie apart is that she is one of those children who is always wanting to give you something. Usually it is a rock or a doll’s shoe or a slightly used Cheerio. Sometimes she finds something that we might value slightly higher such as a cell phone or a pair of prescription glasses. She is just as eager to share those things with you as the items in the first list.

Mary’s actions here are actually pretty childlike. They are having a party for Jesus. Martha is doing her thing. (Martha served.) Lazarus is still clearing out the cobwebs from being recently dead. What can Mary do that is special for this wonderful man who raised her brother from the dead and speaks such wonderful words? Ah! She goes and gets her most valuable treasure, a pint of pure nard, and pours it on Jesus’ feet. How Maggie-like.

Judas is aghast. What a waste! Something worthwhile could have been done with this. Set aside for a moment the fact that Judas was a thief and didn’t really care for the poor. This reaction and remark from Judas is so... so grown up. “Kids! They don’t understand the value of things.” How adult-like.

It is true that children do not understand the value of “things” the way adults do. However, very often children have a much better idea of the relative value of things than adults. It doesn’t matter if it is a ball or a Benjamin Maggie will share it with you because that interaction is more important to her than whatever the “thing” is she holds in her hand. Certainly in this case Mary had it right. She didn’t know that she was preparing Jesus’ body for the day of His burial. She only knew that He was more important than a bottle of perfume and she wanted Him to know it.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”