In this final part of my blog series on ‘Only One Thing Is Needed’, I want to look at the question, what does my life look like when I am fully living from this revelation? How is my behaviour different when I live with a ‘One thing’ mentality? To begin with, lets go back to the gospels and read another account of Mary of Bethany, a story which is told in Matthew, Mark and John, but Mary is only actually named in John’s gospel.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 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. 

John 12:1-3 NIV

Mary again displays her extravagant devotion to Jesus and further reveals the reality of living a ‘only one thing is needed’ lifestyle. Pure nard is a costly perfume, a pint of which would have set you back a years wages. Mary doesn’t pour a small drop over Jesus’ feet or use just enough to get a bit of scent. Nard was stored in an alabaster jar (Matthew 26:7) which had a tall neck that would have to be broken open so the contents could be accessed. It is impossible to use only a little bit, you have to go ‘all in’, therefore every single drop would have been poured out over Jesus’ feet (John 12) and head (Matthew 26/Mark 14).

This truly is an extravagant act of worship. She gets it. Mary understands she has one opportunity to honour Jesus in this life and she will with hold nothing from him. She seizes the moment to adore him publicly with her most valuable possession. 

Valuing Jesus more than money, time, ‘getting things done’, possessions and our own needs/desires is quite an alien concept, even within the church. But he is worthy, yes, he is worthy of it all. Jesus must be valued above any worldly thing, fleshly desire or physical possession. When your life is fully lived from the revelation that only one thing is needed, your values begin to change. As we esteem Jesus above it all, those other things just don’t matter so much anymore and can be lain down at his feet. 

Mary’s lavish gesture certainly doesn’t go unnoticed but rather than being celebrated by those around her, it is scorned. She is rebuked and complained about to Jesus by Judas (John 12:4-6) and the disciples (Matthew 26:8-9/Mark 14:4-5). The accounts of Matthew and Mark make it clear it wasn’t just one disciple (Judas) who was indignant at the event that had just occurred. 

To live with a one thing mindset is to choose to live a life of being misunderstood, even by those who you think would get it most of all. The disciples felt the money could have been better spent elsewhere, instead of ‘wasted’ on the Lord. In a logical, worldly sense, they are right. However they are missing the greater truth, as Jesus points out, “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” (John 12:8). They are valuing the temporal needs of this world over and above the opportunity to worship the God who became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Most people you will meet on a day to day basis will be consumed with the things of this world and not only will they not understand, but they will not like such extravagant devotion to the Lord. Such a lifestyle will be opposed. Remember how Mary was complained about to Jesus by her own sister, Martha, for choosing to sit at the Lord’s feet above anything else (Luke 10:40). Mary knows that truly giving it all for the Lord will not bring her the adoration of man, yet she has made her choice. Only one thing is needed, that truth is settled in her heart and for her there is no turning back, whatever the cost may be. Are we able to do the same and choose to live an ‘only one thing is needed’ lifestyle with such unrestrained devotion?

Living from the revelation that only one thing is needed isn’t going to make you rich, popular and liked by most of the world. However can you fully be satisfied in a life pursuing those things, when truly only one thing can fully satiate your soul? As I conclude this series, I hope I will have caused you to question the value system in your own life and to consider how changing your value system can impact the way you live everyday for Jesus. It’s not something that can be taken lightly, as really it involves dying to your self and exalting God above it all, but I hope it has blessed you, encouraged you and given you something to ponder over the coming days.