It was completely illogical. Everything about the culture and situation in which she lived shouted for her to not do it. Still, Mary took the jar of perfume, broke it open and anointed Jesus with it. This jar of perfume represented her financial security in the world. No matter what happened to all her other forms of income and livelihood, she could fall back on the jar of perfume.
Judas had it right by the human economy, even if his motives were not pure. There were so many other things that could could have been done with the jar of perfume or the money from selling it. That thought never crosses Mary's mind or heart, all she can respond to is the love she has for the Messiah. Extravagant love causes us to do strange things.
It is easy in the short run to play it safe and stay in the logical. We want to express our love and devotion to Jesus and we want to make sure that we have enough life leftover afterward. When we experience someone like Mary who shows love in such an illogical way we can respond like Judas. More often the response has more adoration or outright dismissal. We are not sure how to respond to such illogical expressions of love and devotion.
Love has a way of motivating us to do the illogical. We learn this from God. It makes no sense that God would love us so much, especially in our frailty. Yet, God loves us completely, totally and without condition. God loves us enough to step out of eternity and into our reality, so that we might find the fullness of relationship God longs for with us.
In marriage it is essential to love in ways that are illogical. Couples need to express love for each other in ways and at times that defy logic. Expensive flowers just because, not on a birthday or anniversary, just because. A surprise date night, even when money is tight, it is not the cost it is the investment of time that matters. If the love we share with our spouse is limited to the logical and practical, perhaps we need to invest time in our relationship. The love of a spouse ought to move us to break open the perfume jar, and do something for the one we love that makes no sense by earthly standards.
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