March 28
Scripture of the day: "Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas ... said, 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?' Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, 'Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.'" John 12:3-8
Thought of the day: A denarius was a laborer's daily wage, Matthew 20:2. Three hundred denarii was about a year's salary for a laborer ... a considerable sum. Mary poured that costly perfume on the feet of Jesus as an act of extravagant worship. And she wiped His feet with her hair ... in humble worship.
Challenge of the day: Judas complained because he was concerned about himself. Are we doing the same thing if we give money to the church to buy soft cushions for our pew? Think about it. Is giving for our own benefit really worship? Are we more like Judas or like Mary? Have you ever worshiped as Mary did? Have you ever worshiped so extravagantly? What has worship cost you? And have you ever worshiped Him so humbly? What could you do that compared to Mary's worship?
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