‘Reduced to Tears’

​Daily Devotional – Monday, June 7, 2021

“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.” (Luke 7:47, NLT)

How do you relate to Jesus? Luke recounts a story in his gospel of an invitation Jesus received to dinner. His host was a Pharisee, who in all likelihood viewed Jesus as a curiosity. Jesus was accumulating quite an audience, had performed many miracles and was gaining a name and reputation for himself; yes, he was a controversial figure, but he was also popular. Time to have this growing celebrity over for dinner and see if there is anything to His growing fame. A local woman, who also had a reputation, but of another sort, is drawn to join this dinner party. But she doesn’t come out of curiosity, she comes with the express intent of demonstrating her devotion. The Pharisee’s and the woman’s response to Jesus provide a stark contrast.

The Pharisee, who probably viewed himself as an equal or better than this new hot-shot preacher, makes no attempts to treat Jesus as an honoured guest. There’s no water to wash his feet, no traditional kiss of welcome, no special treatment whatsoever by the host to his guest. On the other hand, this ‘sinful’ woman comes prepared to lavish her devotion on Him as she weeps for her sins, wipes her tears from His feet with her hair, repeatedly kisses His feet and anoints them with expensive perfume. The Pharisee had invited Jesus for dinner, expecting Jesus to convince him that there was something to all the fuss being made about this Nazarene. The woman had come convinced already of who He was.

What of you and me? Who do we most resemble in our relationship with Jesus? The Pharisee or the woman? Have we merely invited Jesus to dinner, neglecting our role as host, sitting back in expectation that He should somehow wow us and convince us of His Lordship? Or like the woman, do we approach Jesus already acknowledging His Lordship and recognizing our own unworthiness of being a part of His Kingdom? Are we simply curious wanting Jesus to ‘show up’ or are we convinced, content to be in His presence? Do we respond with contempt when He gives us glimpses into His Kingdom or with tear-filled gratitude?
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Only one of the two left that dinner filled with the love of God…and it wasn’t the Pharisee!
~ Pastor Jane