Costly Worship

One moment at a dinner table in Bethany turns into a lesson on worship that still confronts us today. We talk through Mary of Bethany taking an alabaster jar of rare, costly nard and anointing Jesus’ feet, then wiping them with her hair as the fragrance fills the entire house. It’s a vivid picture of gratitude that isn’t cautious, calculated, or concerned with looking sensible. 

We also sit with the tension in the room: Judas labels her devotion “a waste” and tries to sound righteous, while Jesus steps in and defends her. That contrast raises honest questions for our own lives. Do we measure worship by efficiency, or by love? Do we hide behind good-sounding motives while missing what Jesus values most in the moment? And what happens when our worship looks unreasonable to people who don’t share our gratitude? 

Then we connect Mary’s act to the bigger story of Passover and Easter. Without fully realizing it, she is anointing Jesus ahead of his death, pointing to the sacrifice that would change everything. We close with a simple, practical challenge: make time not just to pray for what you need, but to worship Jesus for who he is and what he has done, trusting that your worship can bless others in ways you may never see. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one way you can practice “costly worship” this week?

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