In John Chapter 12 we see the extravagant love of Mary (sister of always-busy-Martha and alive-again-Lazarus) as she washes the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume and her hair. She did everything wrong. That is, from her culture's perspective and from the perspective of a thief.
Mary used perfume worth about a year's wages to anoint the feet of Jesus. Usually it was the head that was anointed. Only water was used for washing the feet. Mary always seemed to be at the feet of Jesus (see Luke 10:38-42 and John 11:32, also). She uses what could easily have been the most precious of her possessions to grace His FEET. Then, she lets down her hair, a definite cultural no-no, especially in the presence of a respected guest. She's doing the servant's work, with the wrong items, in the wrong way.
Judas' take on the anointing was, "What a waste!" Jesus' take, "Leave her alone, she has kept it for the day of my burial." Mary's "waste" fit right into the center of God's sovereign plan.
There is no waste in extravagant love. Was not Almighty God's sending of His eternal Son for sinful rebels like you and me extravagant?
Am I willing to give what is most precious to do the lowest of tasks for my Lord and Savior?
Am I willing to love Jesus to the embarassment of those around me?
Do I think I belong beside Jesus or at His feet?
Am I like Judas, being critical of the extravagant love of others for the Savior?
Whose approval am I LOVING for?
"Lord, make me like this Mary."
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