Is Any Gift Too Great When Offering Gratitude & Love

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Is any gift too great to give to someone who called your loved one out of the grave and brought them back to life?

For Lazarus’ sister, Mary, the answer is “no!”

Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man He had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with Him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

John 12:1–3

Mary gave this beautifully generous gift to show her adoration, love, and trust for Jesus, the Messiah.

Nard, aka Spikenard, was a rare, expensive, fragrant oil used in perfume and medicinal ointments, and the Bible tells us it was also used in anointing and burial rituals.

Mary’s gift was extremely extravagant for disciples accustomed to a simple life with Jesus, who said the following about the cost of discipleship…

One of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

Matthew 8:19–20

So, Judas just may have said out loud what others were thinking…

“That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”

John 12:5

Years later, when John wrote his account of this moment, he added the following detail about Judas…

Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

John 12:6

The truth you and I want to take from this moment is that there is no gift too great for us to give the Lord to show Him our adoration, gratitude, and love.

It’s not about the expense of this precious oil. It’s about Mary’s heart. She adored the Lord, and was so grateful for all He had done and promised to do for those who followed Him that there was no gift too great for her to give.

On the other hand, Judas was selfishly doing what he needed to do to stay close to Jesus, who he believed would be the one to save the Jews from Roman rule. He wanted the power, popularity, and possessions he thought he could get through Jesus.

The enemy of our souls constantly tempts us with similar choices. He doesn’t care if we participate in church if we’re doing it for selfish reasons. He promotes division, power struggles, complaining, and pride.

But the Lord wants us to KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST Him.

Jesus prayed…

This is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 

John 17:3

He taught…

“The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength

Mark 12:29–30

And promised…

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

John 14:1–2

By grace through Jesus, we have countless reasons to adore, love, and trust the God who gave His Son so that we might have life in His presence forever. There is no gift too great for us to give, but the gift He wants most is that of our heart.

Let’s pray…

A Prayer to Give Your Heart
Because There Is No Gift Too Great

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us Your Word and Spirit to guide and help us know Your will for us. Thank you for the blessing of Your beautiful promises. Thank you for Jesus, who physically showed us Your unfailing and everlasting love.

You are the God of miracles, demonstrating Your power over the impossible to every generation. You heal, provide, strengthen, comfort, and so much more. Through Jesus, Lazarus, and the widow’s son, You give us confidence in Your power over life and death.

You are love and graciously invite us into a divine, eternal relationship. And by Your grace, You give us everything we need to love You and the people around us when we surrender our lives to You.

No gift is too great for me to give You. Your grace, mercy, and love are immeasurable. You care for my body, mind, and spirit. You are compassionate, kind, and generous in all You do.

I love You, Lord, and give myself to You. You alone are worthy of all my adoration, gratitude, trust, and love. Amen.

“We are of such value to God that He came to live among us… and to guide us home. He will go to any length to seek us, even to being lifted high upon the cross to draw us back to Himself. We can only respond by loving God for His love.” ~ Catherine of Siena

David wrote…

Each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing His songs,
    praying to God who gives me life.

Psalm 42:8

Every day is a gift of God’s grace covered by His love. We have endless reasons to show God our gratitude and love.

Praise God for Mary’s act of worship and for showing us that no gift is too great for us to give Him, and for His Word that tells us the greatest gift of all is a responsive, loving heart.

May God bless you with great faith, hope, gratitude, and love.

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