(from journal entry 9/8/10)
In our self-righteousness, which we are all inclined to be, we are never very moved by Jesus, and Jesus is not very moved by us. We can measure the depth of our love by how we respond to the presence of the Lord; with distant coldness or deep worship. It is the thermometer of our heart. We are all like this woman, even Simon who could not see the depth of his need of Jesus. But God gives us grace to see both the depth of our need, and the infinite scope of His love, and when we do see it, we will give Him all that we have to give. And all looking down on others will totally cease.
“Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are
forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth
little.”
Sometimes God may grant us the grace to be crushed under the weight and unmatched beauty of His love, and when we perceive it, we are torn asunder, but it is not a destructive tearing that shatters us. There is a tearing that binds, a crushing that builds. Jesus came to bind up the broken hearted. Indeed, it is a crushing that fills us with the sweetness of his love and makes us totally whole.
The sinful woman was crushed by that love, but Simon the Pharisee was not. He was too impressed with his own righteousness. Simon was a religious man. He observed the law and kept all of the religious traditions-but he was blind to the truth that he too was a sinner in need of God's grace. Sitting in the presence of the Messiah who was to take away the sins of the world, his heart was stone cold. And Jesus was wholly unimpressed with Simon’s religious piety. Sometimes God may grant us the grace to be crushed under the weight and unmatched beauty of His love, and when we perceive it, we are torn asunder, but it is not a destructive tearing that shatters us. There is a tearing that binds, a crushing that builds. Jesus came to bind up the broken hearted. Indeed, it is a crushing that fills us with the sweetness of his love and makes us totally whole.
What captured his
heart was this morally filthy woman. Instead of shunning her, as Simon thought He should, Jesus loved her. In awestruck gratitude, she kissed his feet and washed them with her tears. She knew the darkness of her sin, her unworthiness,
her uncleanness, and yet He loved her. She was totally undone by this love that surpassed her understanding. When we see God's tender mercies against the backdrop of our unfaithfulness, we are broken and we are healed and we will worship Him wholeheartedly. And we will seek Him above all else.
Many falter at the extravagance of the cross, choosing instead to turn away towards self-justification (I am good enough on my own) or drown in self-condemnation (I don't deserve forgiveness). But this woman, of whom Jesus said, "her sins are many", both saw the depth of her darkness and the depth of His love. She seemed to know that Jesus would accept her extravagant worship. That He would not, in fact, share Simon’s judgmental attitude. She recognized her Savior and the result was a pure fountain of worship that captured the heart of Jesus.
“And he said unto Simon, seest thou this
woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she
hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. My
head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed my feet with
ointment.”Many falter at the extravagance of the cross, choosing instead to turn away towards self-justification (I am good enough on my own) or drown in self-condemnation (I don't deserve forgiveness). But this woman, of whom Jesus said, "her sins are many", both saw the depth of her darkness and the depth of His love. She seemed to know that Jesus would accept her extravagant worship. That He would not, in fact, share Simon’s judgmental attitude. She recognized her Savior and the result was a pure fountain of worship that captured the heart of Jesus.
In our self-righteousness, which we are all inclined to be, we are never very moved by Jesus, and Jesus is not very moved by us. We can measure the depth of our love by how we respond to the presence of the Lord; with distant coldness or deep worship. It is the thermometer of our heart. We are all like this woman, even Simon who could not see the depth of his need of Jesus. But God gives us grace to see both the depth of our need, and the infinite scope of His love, and when we do see it, we will give Him all that we have to give. And all looking down on others will totally cease.
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