VIRTUE OR VICE

READ: Mark 14:1-11

ANSWER THIS: What or who do you love more than anything else in the world?

THE BREAKDOWN

Leading up to the Jewish Passover, certain religious leaders were meeting together to figure out how to have Jesus arrested in secret, and then executed. They were jealous of his popularity, angered by his “blasphemous” claims to be God’s Son, and offended by his accusations that they were hypocrites.

Meanwhile, Jesus is eating at the home of Simon, a man whose disease of leprosy was likely healed by Jesus, when a woman enters the room and gently pours expensive perfume over his head (she is identified in John 11:2 and John 12:1-3 as Mary, the sister of Lazarus). The response to her action, from others at the table, is anger at the waste of something that could have been sold to help the poor. But, Jesus stops them, saying they will always have the poor to help, but they won’t always have Him—a reference to his approaching death.

Jewish custom dictates cleansing a body before burial, making Mary’s act an extravagant expression of that tradition. By some estimates, the perfume would be worth $30,000 in today’s dollars. To emphasize the significance of the moment, Jesus correctly predicts her story will be forever remembered and told, proven true by the fact we’re talking about her in this devotional.

Soon after, Judas, a close friend of Jesus and one of his disciples, went looking for the religious leaders. The promise of money was too tempting for him, and he agreed to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (as told in Matthew 26:15), the equivalent of $3,000, today.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

What a contrast. Mary performs an extravagant act of love by pouring $30,000 worth of perfume over the head of Jesus. While Judas, on the other hand, accepts $3,000 FOR the head of Jesus.

Mary sacrifices her money for the love of Jesus. Judas sacrifices Jesus for the love of money.

While most of us will never face such serious choices, all of us will be tempted during our lives between two options: Making a right choice that requires sacrifice, and making a wrong choice that results in betrayal.

Simply put, it comes down to choosing between virtue and vice.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME?

How would you complete the sentence, “I would do anything for the love of ____”? Did you fill in the blank with “Jesus,” or something else?

PRAYER

“Lord, sometimes I’m embarrassed at what I’m willing to sacrifice to come across as cool, get something I want, or satisfy a selfish desire. I want to be remembered for something better than that. Give me the strength to deny selfish gain and instead, give me a desire for a deeper love of Jesus.”