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I Tell You, Her Sins –

And They Are Many – Have Been Forgiven,

So She Has Shown Me Much Love.

Scripture

Luke 7

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.

37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 

38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 

42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. 

44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 

45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 

46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”

48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Observation

In this story, we find Jesus with two totally different people, a Pharisee and a very sinful immoral woman. The Pharisee looked down with disgust at the sinful woman who was washing Jesus' feet with her tears and anointing His feet with very expensive perfume.

You and I can easily be the Pharisee in this story. We can look with disgust and disdain at the homeless, the drug addict, or the prostitute at the street corner, thinking that we are somehow better than someone else, that we are somehow better than they are because we are not where they happen to be at this moment in life.

This story is a reminder to me that the ground is all level at the foot of the cross.

Have you been forgiven of your sins?

Application

Every person is made in the image of God and has great worth to their Creator. I will try my best to look past the obvious sin of the sinner and be more concerned with his or her soul.

How about you?

Luke 23:32,40-43

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 

41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, don't let me be like the Pharisee in this story. Touch my heart with what touches Yours. Give me Your heart for the people around me. Don't ever let me write someone off because of the way that they are living. I will keep praying for them. I will not give up.

1 Timothy 1:15-16

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 1; Psalms 84,85; Luke 7

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