July 28

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand

to anoint My body to the burying. (Mark 14:8)

I imagine when Mary died, if God had sent an angel to write her epitaph, he couldn’t have done better than to put over her grave what Christ said:

“She hath done what she could.”

I would rather have that said over my grave, if it could honestly be said, than to have all the wealth of the Rothschilds. Christ raised a monument to Mary that is more lasting than the monuments raised to Caesar or Napoleon. Their monuments crumble away, but hers endures. Her name never appeared in print while she was on earth, but to-day it is famous in three hundred and fifty languages.

We may never be great; we may never be known outside our circle of friends; but we may, like Mary, do what we can. May God help each one of us to do what we can! Life will soon be over; it is short at the longest. Let us rise and follow in the footsteps of Mary of Bethany.