Do you see yourself as a level-headed person? Stewardly? I certainly would not be offended if you described me in this way. But extravagant, impulsive, reckless? Probably not! However, our text challenges our practicality.

Mark stacks words on top of one another to build up the extravagance of what the woman did for Jesus. Alabaster jars are beautiful, fragile, and expensive. Her perfume is made of pure nard – a beautiful scent extracted from a plant growing in the Himalayas. Imagine how costly it would be to import in Roman times!

You’re supposed to dilute it before use. A few drops mixed with a bottle of olive oil was equivalent to many months’ supply of a beautiful smelling anointment. But she does not dilute it. She does not carefully unstop the jar and drip a tiny bit on Jesus’s head. She smashes the jar and empties the entire thing over him! Jesus is literally drenched with perfume. The scent must have been overwhelming. The perfume was worth over a year of work at minimum wage. Maybe $30,000, gone in a moment.

“Imagine how much good $30,000 would have done for the poor,” the onlookers say. “What extravagance! What a waste!” But Jesus does not consider it a waste. “Leave her alone ... She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Her anointing prepares his body for burial. Somehow, unlike all Jesus other followers, she knows that Jesus is going to die. And she does this to show her extravagant love for him. He is worth this gift and devotion.

Every time I hear this story told in memory of her, it challen­ges me. I’m still inclined to sympathize with the onlookers! It is a lot of money. What if she poured half the perfume on Jesus? It’s still an extravagant gift! But then there’s $15,000 left for the poor.

However, Jesus defends her because she was showing her extravagant love in the only way she could. In this way her actions are a picture of the first great commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

Taking that command literally seems reckless. Impractical. If I love God with everything I have, then I have nothing left over for my spouse, parents, children; to say nothing of the poor. And, sin wants to keep a good portion of my love for myself. Not give it all away. But God tells us not to hold back love. Love God with everything you have. Wholehearted. Dive headfirst, eyes shut into devotion to God. And then, like the grain plant­ed in good soil (Mark 8), our love will grow and come back increased for others.

You won’t have less love for others if you spend all your energy loving God. You will love others exponentially more if you love God first.

Jesus shows us what extravagant love looks like. He set aside his glory and came to serve. He gave everything including his life to ransom many. His shed blood covers all our selfishness, self-love, and sin.

In return, the gifts God has given us we must pour out in God’s service, for the good of others (Rom 12:6). Follow Christ, even when it costs your life (Mark 8:34). Do not just hate, but crucify your sinful nature with its passions and desires (Gal 5: 24). Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness (Eph 5:11).

Love and service to God is not supposed to be practical. Don’t be frugal with your spiritual gifts. Be extravagant. Love, and give everything you can!

For Further Study⤒🔗

1. Who do you naturally side with in this story: the extravagant woman, or the frugal onlookers?
2. In what ways can you be more extravagant and whole-hearted in your devotion