There is an account in the Bible of an unnamed woman who came to wash and anoint Jesus' feet. She wept over them, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume. And to our amazement, the Pharisee who had invited Jesus into his home looked upon her with contempt.
But before we too quickly look down our noses at him, let's consider the situation. How would we perceive an act like this, even today? Granted, the culture was different back then, but I suspect we would still find such a display rather unusual.
Yet our Lord knew what was happening in this woman's heart. He told the Pharisee a parable about two debtors, both of whom had their debts forgiven, and asked which would love their creditor more. The answer, of course, was the one who had been forgiven more.
Then Jesus said something remarkable about the woman.
"Her many sins have been forgiven; that's why she loved much" (Luke 7:47, CSB).
She Loved Much Because She Had Been Forgiven Much
P, I pray that if you're reading this today, you're someone who loves much.
Maybe you aren't loving as much as you should. That's okay, love. We all fall short. But let this woman stir within you the kind of love that flows from knowing the mercy of our Savior.
She humbled herself before Jesus without seeming to care what others thought. She brought her perfume, her tears, and her affection because she recognized something precious about the One before her.
And I pray, P, with every ounce of strength I have, that you recognize Him, too.
Consider the Savior and the wonders of His grace. The blessed Son of God, who knew no sin, humbled Himself to dwell among us. He endured hardship, rejection, and persecution, though He deserved none of it. And ultimately, He gave His life upon the cross for sinners like you and me.
What extraordinary love!
This woman didn't earn forgiveness by loving Jesus. Rather, her love revealed how profoundly His mercy had affected her.
And I pray that the knowledge of what Christ has done grips your heart in much the same way.
Let the Love of Christ Shape Your Life
May you realize how much you've been forgiven so that you, too, may love much.
Love Christ, for He bled and died for sinners. Love believers because they belong to His body, the church. And love those outside the church, too, because they need the very Savior whose mercy you have received.
Love them, P.
I know it's hard. Goodness knows your Papa has struggled to love others as he should. Jesus even warns in Matthew 24:12 that the love of many will grow cold as lawlessness increases.
But don't give up.
Don't become so overwhelmed by the wickedness of this world that you forget how greatly you've been loved. And don't become so consumed with the shortcomings of others that you forget your own need for forgiveness.
I challenge you to read this account in Luke 7. Think about that woman, the tears that fell upon our Savior's feet, and the extraordinary love that flowed from a heart touched by His mercy.
And I pray that at the end of your life, you'll be able to look back upon the way you lived and say:
"I have been forgiven much, so I loved much."
I love you, P. Trust in Christ, for He alone is able to preserve you and make you stand before Him with joy on the day of His coming (Jude 24).
Papa