John 11:32  When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (NLT)

John 12:3  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. (NLT)

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Luke 10:39 tells us Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.”

John 11:32 says, “When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet, . . . .”

John 12:3 tells one more story about Mary at Jesus’ feet.

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.

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to learn. 

Mary fell at Jesus’ feet to grieve.

Mary anointed Jesus’ feet in preparation for his coming death.

Mary models the heart of a disciple. 

She hung on his every word. She expressed her awe and worship in deeply meaningful actions that speak to us across the ages. 

She wept freely, declared undying truth, and let everyone know how she saw Jesus. He was more than a teacher, more than a friend, more than a prophet or priest. To Mary, and to all who truly know him, Jesus was the King of Kings, the Lord of Life, and the dearest of all possible friends. 
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Mary was always at Jesus’ feet. Not in his way, but in worship. Not to be seen, but to help us see what she saw. Not to be known, but to make known what she saw that she wanted everyone to see. 

She anointed him for burial. She anointed him with a fragrance stronger than the stench of death. She anointed him in anticipation of the resurrection he declared was coming. When those awful events unfolded, when the coppery aroma of blood was in the air, when sour sweat was wrung from his pores, when there was no liquid left in his body, there clung the aroma of life.

When Jesus got up that morning after, he was prepared to meet people in simple and welcome beauty. Mary had seen to that. Instead of the stench of death, life, beautiful, wonderful, life overflowed the tomb, spilled into the garden, and accompanied Jesus’ steps on those beautiful feet now pierced, now bearing the best good news of all time. 

Mary knew where to sit, where to grieve, and where to celebrate life. Let us learn her lessons well.

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I will join Mary at the feet of Jesus.

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Our Father, make us more like Mary. Teach us your words of truth and life. Comfort our deepest grief. Receive our extravagant worship. Make us the fragrance of life to everyone we meet. Amen.