Jump Start # 468 

Luke 7:44 “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 wt My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.” 

NOTE: On Tuesday mornings, I am teaching a ladies class. It is wonderful, insightful and very helpful to me. I’m thankful they let me teach. Some of these thoughts came from that class. If you are in my corner of the world, drop in at 10:30 Tuesday mornings for a study. We’d love to have you!

  Luke gives us a very powerful story. There are no miracles in this story, but it is full of intrigue, emotions and attitudes. A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his home. Simon, as the text tells us, shows zero hospitality towards Jesus. He did not offer to wash His feet, anoint His head or do any of the customary signs of greeting. We ask, why then did he invite Jesus over? Most likely for his own benefit. Jesus’ popularity was rising. Having Jesus in your home, would be a feather in the cap, something to brag about.

  A woman, who the context tells us is a sinner and Simon knew she was a sinner, crashed the party. From all indications, she was a prostitute. How many marriages had she ruined in the process of ruining her own reputation? She would have never been invited into this home. She came. She brought perfume. She came with the idea of anointing Jesus. She had heard of Jesus. Her faith told her that He was different. He wasn’t going to wink at her, nor was He going to roll his lip and whisper something under His breath. He was different.

  She came in and created quite a scene. Crying and using those tears to wash the Lord’s feet, she then dried them with her hair. No conversation takes place. Kisses that had been given in lust are now placed upon the Lord’s feet in honor. Her past has come to a mighty crash with the Savior. He’s pure, she’s impure. He’s good. She’s been bad. He’s innocent. She’s guilty. He’s holy and well, everyone seems to know about her.

  Simon doesn’t say anything. He thinks. The Lord knows what he is thinking. The Lord asks a question, probably saving Simon from saying or doing something very stupid. The Lord teaches a lesson about love and forgiveness. Those who need a lot of forgiveness, love the most. She was demonstrating that.

  Now comes our verse. The Lord said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?” Sure he saw her. How could he not see her. Look a what she’s been doing. But he didn’t really see her. He didn’t see her as the Lord saw her. The Lord did see her past, He also saw her faith.

  Jesus acknowledges that her sins were many. He knew. He also saw where she was at and what she was doing. Her faith led her to that house. Her faith, put aside all shame and embarrassment to do what she did. Sure others whispered. Sure they wondered what “she” was doing there. As far as she was concerned, there was just she and Jesus in that room. Those kind of things impress Jesus. He notices faith.

  Jesus forgave her. Right there in Simon’s house. All those nasty sins gone. A clean page. A fresh start. A new hope. She is one of several that Jesus forgave before the cross. He could do that because of His position, He is God. Interesting, after the Cross, everyone who was forgiven was first baptized. No exceptions.

  People can change. Bad people can turn good. Jesus forgave her. I wonder if Simon did? I wonder if the others in that house did? I wonder if she forgave herself? That’s hard, especially after the messes we make. People change. Don’t give up on them.

  There is something about Jesus that is attractive. This woman with a terrible reputation, needed to be where  He was. That happened a lot. We find in Jesus what we wish we saw in others—a fair chance, forgiveness, grace. The police rarely will do that. The company you work for probably won’t. They may even have a policy number that addresses that. Often the family can’t or won’t. But there’s Jesus. He will. He always does. He’s looking for you to do what this woman did. Forget what people may think…do what is right. Who cares what they are whispering…go to Jesus. It’s ok to cry. It’s ok to be honest. There is a sweetness about her faith.

  Simon was too cool and calculated for such things. You’ll notice, if you read this section, that Jesus doesn’t say, “Simon, you are forgiven, too.” Simon wasn’t there yet. Simon’s problem was Simon. He thought he was still the center of the universe and that everything revolved around him. It is easy to stand where Simon does. I’ve been there. It’s pretty comfortable. You look at others and whisper under your lip never realizing, it’d do you a lot of good to take a look in the mirror and wonder how God sees you. This woman was better off than Simon was.

  We sure can learn many lessons from things like this. I sure love Jesus. How about you?

Roger