John 12:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?

This image of Mary before Jesus, pouring out the best of what she has before Him and humbling herself to the extent that she has is a favorite of mine. I commonly consider this image when I am coming before the Lord. See what it is she has just experienced. Her brother died. Had Jesus been there, she knew her brother would live. Then something astounding happened. When Jesus got there, her brother rose and lived. Jesus brought Lazarus up from the grave. Fast forward to the point we are at now, Mary is pouring out this oil on Jesus' feet and wiping his feet with her hair in praise and thanksgiving. This is not an image of someone coming out of desperation and need of Jesus for anything. This is coming out of a place of pure adoration.

It is no secret that our society has a really hard time with praise and thanksgiving. We are built largely upon ungratefulness. I found that many believers sincerely struggle with what praise is supposed to look like. The only vocabulary we have surrounding thankfulness is "Thank you". We don't know how to receive from people. We don't know how to appreciate the goodness that is given us. Most of us doubt the goodness God has poured out. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that some of you reading this even struggle with the idea that the Lord wants you to thank Him for what He has done because you feel like there is still more that needs to be done. You feel like you can thank Him when everything is entirely completed. As a result, you lack thankfulness in your life.

What point do we sit before Jesus like Mary does here? When do we pour out the best of our thanksgiving regardless of what people say around us? When do we humble ourselves before Him recognizing that we hardly even understand the depth of His power toward us who believe? Mary got it. She laid herself out before Jesus in thanksgiving and gave the best of what she had. My lesson for me today is that I need to take upon a similar posture of worship and praise before the Lord.

What lesson are you taking away today?