She Let Her Hair Down

In today’s Gospel, Mary goes all in for Jesus. 

In John 12, we read how Mary poured costly perfumed oil over the feet of Jesus. Not only did she anoint his feet with the lavish oil, she also used her hair to dry his feet. 

This Gospel passage always causes me to stop and think. I can visualize Mary anointing his feet with the oil, but the part that seems so strange to me is how she dried his feet with her hair. 

There are two important lessons to take away from Mary’s actions. 

First, using the costly oil on the feet of Jesus represents the love that Mary has for Jesus. She is offering a valuable personal possession, the perfumed oil. Mary could have justified saving it for another occasion or selling the oil for 300 days wages, but she chooses to be extravagant by spreading it over the feet of Jesus. It is an outward sign of love and devotion to her Lord.

Are you willing to go all in for Jesus?

What are you willing to give Him? 

What is your most prized possession? Your time? Your money? Your gifts and talents? Your focus? Your gratitude? 

Mary knows the importance of Jesus’ feet and how they are leading mankind in a different direction. Mary recognizes how far Jesus has traveled sharing the Word of God, but she understands that his most life changing journey is yet to come. She is preparing his feet for the most important walk in history, his walk to Calvary.

Second, Mary letting down her hair and drying the feet of Jesus represents her humility and willingness to trust in Christ. This act seems odd to us, but in the time of Jesus this would have been a sign of vulnerability and intimacy. In drying his feet with her hair, Mary is allowing Jesus to see the good, the bad and the areas of sin and weakness. 

Mary is taking a chance on being rejected or criticized by Jesus, but instead she finds eyes full of gratitude and love. Even when Judas questions her decision to use the valuable oil on the feet of Jesus and calls her out, Mary remains strong in her love and devotion to Christ. 

As a Mom in the Middle, how can you let your hair down in a way that allows you to be vulnerable and intimate with Jesus? 

Which areas of your life to do you keep hidden away because of fear or rejection?

Jesus is waiting for you to go all in! Are you ready?

Jennie is a Catholic Life Coach, Podcaster, Speaker and founder of Catholic Moms in the Middle. She equips and encourages middle-life moms to reconnect in their faith by breaking spiritual strongholds so they can finally lose the weight they've struggled with for years, to reconnect in their marriage and to discover where God is calling them in this new season of life.