The Cost of Service
When someone serves us, it costs us. We tip the waitress when we eat and the parking attendant when we valet park. Serving also costs the server.
After raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus attended a dinner in Bethany (Jn. 12:1). John records, “There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him” (Jn. 12:2). Martha served. That cost her. It cost her time, effort, and energy. There were times when she was out of the room, missing the conversation between Jesus and the others around the table. When the dinner was done, the guests felt full and refreshed. Martha felt tired and spent. Serving is costly.
John goes on to say, “Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (Jn. 12:3). Like her sister Martha, Mary served the Lord and she paid for the privilege. She used twelve ounces of very costly, undiluted oil. (The word “spikenard” is uncertain; it probably means unadulterated). John goes out of his way to emphasize the cost (Morris). This large amount of unmixed fragrance was expensive. It cost 300 denarii (cf. Jn. 12:5). According to Matthew 20:2, one denarius was one day’s wage. Therefore, the price was the equivalent of a working man’s wage for a year.
Mary’s service cost more than money. As if the precious perfume were only common water, Mary poured it over the feet of Jesus in such abundance that it was as if she had bathed Him with it. So, she was obligated to wipe His feet. For this, she used her hair. Barclay says, “On the day a girl was married, her hair was bound up and never again would she be seen in public with her long tresses flowing loose. It was the sign of an immoral woman to appear in public with her hair unbound.” In other words, what Mary did cost her; it cost her pride. No sacrifice was too costly for her purse; no service was too lowly for her person.
What did Mary get for this sacrificial service? Applause from the guest? Praise from the Apostles? No. For her extraordinary service, she received criticism! “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’” (Jn. 12:4-5).
If service is so costly and all you get is criticism, why serve? Let Mary answer that. In her day, the custom was that on a feast day the heads of the guests were anointed with perfume. Mary anointed His feet as well as His head. Anointing His head was an act of honor; anointing His feet a display of devotion. Mary did it simply because she loved Him. All she was and had was His. Because of her love, the cost was a small price to pay. Love is not love if it calculates the cost (Barclay).
Let us sacrificially serve out of love and with great joy for the privilege.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 12/30/2009
After raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus attended a dinner in Bethany (Jn. 12:1). John records, “There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him” (Jn. 12:2). Martha served. That cost her. It cost her time, effort, and energy. There were times when she was out of the room, missing the conversation between Jesus and the others around the table. When the dinner was done, the guests felt full and refreshed. Martha felt tired and spent. Serving is costly.
John goes on to say, “Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (Jn. 12:3). Like her sister Martha, Mary served the Lord and she paid for the privilege. She used twelve ounces of very costly, undiluted oil. (The word “spikenard” is uncertain; it probably means unadulterated). John goes out of his way to emphasize the cost (Morris). This large amount of unmixed fragrance was expensive. It cost 300 denarii (cf. Jn. 12:5). According to Matthew 20:2, one denarius was one day’s wage. Therefore, the price was the equivalent of a working man’s wage for a year.
Mary’s service cost more than money. As if the precious perfume were only common water, Mary poured it over the feet of Jesus in such abundance that it was as if she had bathed Him with it. So, she was obligated to wipe His feet. For this, she used her hair. Barclay says, “On the day a girl was married, her hair was bound up and never again would she be seen in public with her long tresses flowing loose. It was the sign of an immoral woman to appear in public with her hair unbound.” In other words, what Mary did cost her; it cost her pride. No sacrifice was too costly for her purse; no service was too lowly for her person.
What did Mary get for this sacrificial service? Applause from the guest? Praise from the Apostles? No. For her extraordinary service, she received criticism! “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’” (Jn. 12:4-5).
If service is so costly and all you get is criticism, why serve? Let Mary answer that. In her day, the custom was that on a feast day the heads of the guests were anointed with perfume. Mary anointed His feet as well as His head. Anointing His head was an act of honor; anointing His feet a display of devotion. Mary did it simply because she loved Him. All she was and had was His. Because of her love, the cost was a small price to pay. Love is not love if it calculates the cost (Barclay).
Let us sacrificially serve out of love and with great joy for the privilege.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 12/30/2009
