Living an everyday Mary story

For the 5^th month of the Race, we were living in Cambodia and it was a month the World Race calls “Man-istry/Wo-manisty”. This is a time where the men and the women of the squad split from each other. All of our men served together and all the women were broken into smaller groups of all women who served together. This would be the first time I was “on” a team of all women. Since month one I have been on a team with 2-3 men so this would be the first month that I would not serve, live, or have team times with the men I have been with. However, I stayed with the other women of Team Gateway (Alyssa and Jaclyn). We were combined with other women to make up a house of 11 women.
 
Going into the month I wasn’t sure what to expect or even be prepared for. I had heard different stories from the women on my squad that said I would diving more into a intimacy during team times because I wouldn’t be faced with the opposite sex present. They also warned me that conversations revolving around bodily functions would NOT be rare. I had a brief idea of what would come, but God helped me see more into what this month would mean for me, and the women I lived with.
 
As the month began to take off at full speed, our days were filled with painting a church, teaching homeschool in the mornings, teaching English in the evenings, village visits, and living with 30 Khmer (the name for Cambodian people) girls. To say the least we were busy, but the Lord kept laying it on my heart to not waste this month living as WOMEN.
 
During one of our house team times, the challenge was laid out for the month.

 
Let me explain more. In the book of John, chapter 12 we arrive in the city of Bethany at a dinner in Jesus’ honor. Jesus had just recently raised Lazarus from the dead and the people were coming together to celebrate. At this dinner there was a women named Mary (Not Jesus’ mother). Mary was enjoying the dinner and celebrating but she did more. Verse 3 reads, “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
 
This act of sacrifice and honor seems so simple, but there was so much more to it. As we continue to read it says that Judas was unhappy by the actions of Mary. He rose in objection declaring that this women should have sold the perfume and given it to the poor because it was a year’s worth in wages.
 
Wait, hold up. A year’s worth in wages? Okay, okay, lets look at this realistically. If this was worth all the money she had earned for a whole year that would be equivalent to a car for us, maybe a decent savings account. But she gave ALL of it up to wash Jesus’ feet. Not only was this just a years worth in wages for the sake of money, but this was her identity; her smell-it was her perfume. This was how people knew her, this is what she felt she had to offer. And yet she still willingly gave it all up. She even went further than that and dried Jesus’ feet with her hair!

Why? Why would she give up her year’s wages and her hair to clean Jesus’ feet?
 
The answer is simple.  She did all of this because she loved Jesus.
She loved Jesus MORE than she loved her year’s wages.
She loved Jesus MORE than she loved her perfume.
She loved Jesus MORE than she loved her hair.
She loved Jesus more!
 
So after studying this story among the women that I lived with this month we were challenged to live it out.
 
Was there something in our lives that we would see as our “year’s wages” or as our identity? Was there something that we have put all our worth or savings into that was taking the place of God?
 

 
The question sat in the air. What could I wash Jesus’ feet with to show him how much I loved him? What could I choose to give to Jesus with no other strings attached then my love for Him?
 
Well, each girl in the room decided what they would give to wash Jesus’ feet with and I as well. As the month went on I was struck with how much this was more than just a fast from something for a month- like the Lent season. This was actively saying that I loved the Lord MORE than I loved _____ (fill in the blank). This was something I could do many more times, many days, in reality I could do it daily. I have many moments in my life where I can actively choose Jesus to love MORE than that thing.