Mary wanted it to be known that this act of hers was done for Him exclusively. Just for Him, without thought of self, or anything else. Martha was serving, but it was not exclusively for Him. It might be in His honor, but it was done for others also. Simon might entertain, but others were included in the entertainment also. What Mary did was for Him alone.

“When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?” (Matthew 26:10 KJV). Jesus understood!

Jesus said to Peter: “Lovest thou Me?” Peter replied: “Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my sheep for Me. . . . Feed my lambs” (John 21:15–17 KJV).

“Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you” (Exodus 2:9).

Under an Eastern sky Amid a rabble cry A Man went forth to die For me—for me.

Thorn-crowned His blessed Head, Bloodstained His every tread, To Calvary He was led For me—for me.

Pierced were His Hands, His Feet, Three hours o’er Him did beat Fierce rays of noonday heat, For me—for me.

Since Thou wast made all mine, Lord, make me wholly Thine. Grant strength and grace Divine For me—for me.

Thy will to do, Oh, lead In thought and word and deed My heart, e’en though it bleed, To Thee—to Thee.

For me! “For Him! For Him!” the man cries as he planes his boards, sells his goods, adds his figures, or writes his letters. “For Him! For Him!” sings the woman as she plies her needle, makes her bed, cooks her food, or dusts her house.

All day long the hand is outstretched to touch the invisible Christ, and at night the work done is brought to Him for His benediction.

The very nature of God is extravagance. How many sunrises and sunsets does God make?

Gloriously wasteful, O my Lord, art Thou! Sunset faints after sunset into the night . . .

How many flowers and birds, how many ineffable beauties all over the world, lavish desert blossoms that only His eyes see?

Mary’s act was one of spontaneous extravagance. Mary of Bethany revealed, in her act of extravagant devotion, that the unconscious sympathy of her life was with Jesus Christ. “She did what she could” (v. 8)—to the absolute limit of what a human can do. It was impossible to do more. The only thing that Jesus Christ ever commended was this act of Mary’s, and He said: “Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (v. 9), because in the anointing our Lord saw an exact illustration of what He, Himself, was about to do. He put Mary’s act alongside His own Cross. God shattered the life of His own Son to save the world. Are we prepared to pour out our lives for Him? Our Lord is carried beyond Himself with joy when He sees any of us doing what Mary of Bethany did. Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced? “She did what she could”—to the absolute limit. I have not done what I could until I have done the same.

OSWALD CHAMBERS

Is the precious ointment poured on the feet of the Master ever wasted? Eternity will answer the question. GOLD CORD

The only way to keep a thing is to throw it away! Seeds which mildew in the garner Scattered, fill with gold the plain.

To keep your treasure is to die—to lose it is to live— The angels keep the records in God’s countinghouse—so give! PATIENCE STRONG