Mark 14:1-11  Jesus and his disciples are back in Bethany where they are staying.  They are having dinner at the house of Simon the leper,  although John tells us that Martha was serving and Lazarus was also there.  John also tells us that it is Mary who comes in with an alabaster vial of pure nard, a costly perfume.  She breaks open the vial and pours it over Jesus.  Matthew and Mark tell us she put it over His head, but John says it was on His feet.  So probably both.  Either way, this act of worship and sacrifice is criticized by the disciples...especially one particular disciple, Judas.  They thought that this was a great waste, for the perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii, almost a year's wages.

But Jesus defends Mary's gift.  He honors her act by calling it a "good deed",  an anointing that would prepare His body for burial.  Two days later would be the beginning of Passover and Jesus would be nailed to the cross.  Mary was willing to give to Jesus all that she had, probably the most valuable thing that she owned.  Jesus not only defended her, but He proclaimed that she would be remembered for this act "wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world."

Mary was greatly honored for her sacrificial giving and love for the Master.  But, Judas took great offense.  It is at this time that he heads off to see the chief priests to betray Jesus for 30 shekels of silver.

True colors.  Sooner or later the truth comes out, doesn't it?   Mary was devoted to Jesus.  She seemed to understand, more than the disciples, that Jesus was going to really die as He said.  Her heart was tender and she showed by her actions how deeply she loved Jesus.   Judas, we are told, was a thief.  He cared more about money than he did about Jesus.  Perhaps his only reason for following Jesus all along was to gain money, power, and fame.  Maybe his disillusionment was growing as Jesus talked about how the greatest in His kingdom would be the servant .  That would not appeal to one like Judas, who wanted only what this world offered, not what lay ahead in eternity.

What lays in our hearts?  What are our true colors, when it comes to Jesus?
Will we lay down all we have at His feet?  Will we give ourselves over to devotion and sacrifice, for the love of our Savior?
Or will we cling to what this world has to offer, deceived into the false security of money, power, or fame?
Mary is remembered as one who sat at Jesus' feet, anointed His head, and cried at the cross.
Judas is remembered as a thief and the betrayer, who killed himself because of the guilt of his sins.
Mary had her eyes on the "unseen" things - the eternal kingdom.
Judas had his eyes on the "seen" things - the physical kingdom.

Paul writes, "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but things which are not seen are eternal."  ( II Corinthians 4:17-18) 

Father in heaven,  examine us... open our eyes and help us to examine our own hearts.  To see what our true colors are.  May we repent of hard hearts and of seeking only the things of this world.  We turn our eyes to You, Jesus.  To the promises of eternity in Your Presence.  Let us be done with lesser things, with broken cisterns that cannot give us the living water that You alone can give. Nothing in this world can satisfy the longing in our hearts.   You are God. You are faithful and unchanging.  Father, that is where our hope must stand, on the solid Rock.
I want to follow the example of Mary,  laying all that I have at Your feet, not clinging to the temporal things of this world, but clinging to the One Who gave His all for me.
Amen