She Loved Much

Luke 7:36-48

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?

I came into your house.

You did not give me any water for my feet---
but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair

You did not give me a kiss
but this woman from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet

You did not put oil on my head
but she has poured perfume on my feet

Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much.

But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The scriptures say that she brought an alabaster jar of perfume and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.

This woman ... who "stood behind him at his feet" ... a woman whose hair was used to dry the tears that fell on the Lord's feet. Long hair was the style back then ... I think she found another way to use her hair ... to cover her face ... to hide her eyes ... from the one that knew everything about her.

I think it is sad that we so quickly go from "standing behind him at his feet" ... to sitting at the table with the Lord ... and whether we speak or just think it ... we still judge other people.

It's a lot easier to find fault or shortcomings in someone else's life vs. looking at our own hearts.

I hear it in conversations at church more than anywhere else. That's scary isn't it? Shouldn't be ... those of us in church just know that we need help. I see it in the workplaces too, though, backstabbers and ladder climbers and the co-workers that seem to thrive on tearing people down. I guess the only difference really is that at least at church, we know that we are messed up and we are looking for the Lord to help us.

I'm not pointing my finger at other people, I hear it and see it within my own self. It scares me ... and it frustrates me. I don't like humanity very much ... because I see in people all the wicked things that lie in my own heart. It's like a mirror ...

Pay attention and you will see it too. Most don't like to admit that we do these things and we really don't want to face our own hearts. But when it is quiet and you have a moment to reflect about your day ... try looking into the Lord's eyes ... you might find yourself scrambling to look away. The thing is, though, he already knows and once WE KNOW IT ... then he can actually do something with us to change it. He knows what we do and loves us anyway.

I am glad that the Lord is working with me and in me. I am often disgusted and repelled by what he shows me about my heart ... it is so ugly to look at what I do to other people ... I want so much to be more than I am ... but what I am and what I will forever be on this side of heaven is just a sinner ... a sinner that still messes up ... still makes mistakes ... and still needs the Holy Spirit to teach me the truth and help me learn how to do things differently ... every moment of every day. Luckily, he understands more about me than I do. He shows me my heart so that I can learn and so that I can grow and be more like him ... one moment at a time.