In John 12, Jesus visited Bethany for a special dinner with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. I like to picture Lazarus silently witnessing as he sat there smiling: the man Jesus had raised from the dead.

Martha was on her feet, serving the Lord. That was her love language. But she wasn't complaining, as she had in Luke 10. Martha had learned her lesson; she had grown in grace.

"Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointing the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil" (v. 3).

Martha's love language was serving, and Mary's love language was gift-giving. Oil of spikenard came from India, and because it came from such a distance and was so rare, it was of great value. Mary wanted to show Jesus how much she loved Him.

I don't know how she acquired this ointment, because according to Judas' calculation it was worth about $10,000. "But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 'Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?'" (v. 4-5).

The other gospel authors don't tell us who objected. They just say that the disciples complained. But John tells us it was Judas. What Judas said sounded so good. He had a good mouth and a bad heart.

It sounded so spiritual, and he wanted it to sound that way: "You know, I'm concerned about the expenses around this place. I think that this money could have been given to missions or to the poor, etc. Why are you wasting it on this?

But John ratted Judas out. "This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, 'Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always'" (vv. 6-8).

Judas's view was bitter because his heart was bitter. A man sees with his eyes what is in his heart. That is, Judas was wicked, so he misinterpreted every act as wicked. You know what it's like. If somebody likes a person, they can do no wrong. But if somebody hates a person, they can do no right in their eyes.

Mary was showing Jesus kindness before He died. She was giving the roses before the funeral. There are some wives who never get flowers from their husband—until they're dead. Then he buys a big display of roses for her funeral. Well, wouldn't it have been better if he'd given her that many flowers before she'd died?

Don't misunderstand Jesus when he said, "The poor you have with you always." He was not advocating poverty, nor was He aloof about it.

He was simply using Deuteronomy 15:11 to say that generous activity is one thing—and it's good—but the priority is personal worship. "I'm here, and you have an opportunity to show kindness and love." And Mary was pouring out that extravagant love.

By saying, "But Me you do not have always," (v. 8), Jesus was reminding Judas that he had a personal opportunity to experience intimate fellowship with Him.

We have that same opportunity daily. And we should take advantage of it, lovingly and even extravagantly!