“Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!”
And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. You did not [ab]anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50 NASB
Have you noticed the pattern in the New Testament where Jesus beautifully rebukes the efforts of the ‘powerful and uplifted’ by involving those the religious people of the day judged and rejected? I love this story of the woman who understood the glory of the Forgiver standing in front of her, back to her, who held the ability to forgive sins. She did not seek to show herself worthy. She sought to glorify Jesus by an act that honored the guest and exemplified his value and ‘status’ in the home the guest was visiting.
Jesus softly and forcibly exposed the heart of the Pharisee that had opened his home to him. While the Pharisee desired to hear and learn from Jesus, he chose not to honor and exalt him by not extending the gracious act of the day of cleaning his feet, or even offering a bowl of water that Jesus might have used to clean his own feet. Then when the insult was to take place, Jesus turned this effort, yet again, into an example of beauty and love that the leaders of the day could not, or refused to recognize and understand.
Why has my heart been drawn to work with God’s children overcoming addiction? Because I desire to be close to Jesus and he draws himself close to those of us that have much to overcome and hearts desiring to humbly serve him through our actions and our minds. What the World defines as dirty and broken, Jesus clearly shows as worthy of repair and cleaning. Hearts reflecting the heart of this woman. Actions reflecting the acts of this woman. Lives reflecting the heart of the Savior and his deep, deep, abiding love for you, his daughters and sons.
Walk boldly today. You are the child of the Most High God. That is more than enough.
You’ve got this!