I’ve struggled to write about the verses from this week’s reading (Luke 7:36-50) twice now in the last few weeks (first, when I was writing a Lent devotion and now again today). I didn’t want to write about them; I felt like I had nothing to say. The story of the woman who perfumes and kisses Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair simply didn’t resonate with me. “I’m stumped,” I emailed my pastor, and while her reply about love and forgiveness helped, I found I still didn’t want to write about this particular story.
I finally figured out why.
The woman in the story makes me uncomfortable. Not because she’s a sinner, a “bad person,” an “immoral woman,” but because of the way she loves.
When I think about the prostitute who lavished attention on Jesus with her alabaster jar and her expensive perfume, her weeping and foot-kissing and hair wiping, I want to tell her to get ahold of herself, to get up off the floor, stop making a scene and act properly. Her dramatic display of adoration and affection makes me uncomfortable. It makes me uneasy because it’s so raw, such a pure, extravagant, over-the-top display.
As I read this story for the umpteenth time, I tried to imagine how I would react if I met Jesus in person. I suspect I’d offer him a cup of tea, maybe shake his hand, stammer that I admire his work. But would I throw myself at his feet? Would I pour my whole self into the moment, toss caution to the wind, disregard what anyone might think or say about me and simply love him with abandon?
Doubtful. I’d be too worried what people might think of me, the crazy lady with the perfume and the hair.
Like so many spiritual lessons, this one comes down to trust. The prostitute trusts Jesus enough to give herself entirely to him. Because she puts him first, nothing stands in her way: not others’ opinions, not her pride, not even her sins. Because she trusts Jesus, she has the courage to love with abandon. I think this might even be part of the reason the Pharisees reacted so harshly – they were uneasy with the woman’s exuberant, unadulterated display of pure love because they hadn’t allowed such love to be unleashed in themselves. They couldn’t imagine acting that way with Jesus. They didn’t trust God enough to let go.
I know there are innumerable ways to demonstrate our love for God. We can love quietly and contemplatively. We can love through service. We can love God through loving others, through sacrifice, through prayer, through thanksgiving. And while I know wild, unfettered love isn’t something God requires of me, I also know he presented this story to me not once, but twice, to illustrate that there’s still much room for me to grow. The kind of unabashed love demonstrated by the prostitute need not make me uncomfortable. It’s available to me, to all of us. But we need to trust in order to love.
Try to picture what it might be like to meet Jesus in person. How would you react? Would you lavish love on him like the woman in this story, or might you be more reserved? What, if anything, does that say about your trust in God and your faith?
Linking with Ann Voskamp’s Walk with Him Wednesday series…because is there anything more radical than learning to love?
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The person who is forgiven much – - loves much! I sometimes measure my own sins which were not much in comparison to others, but then I take a look at Jesus and his suffering and realize it was for ME he died. My sin WAS as large as anyone elses in his sight, because SIN is sin, and he has forgiven ME. Oh I would probably shake his hand too, and offer him a cup of tea.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’d be a bit reserved with Jesus!
How would I react when I saw Jesus? My feet would want to run, but my heart would be bowed in worship… I’m not sure, but I look forward to the day!
Wow! I think you hit the nail on the head! Thank you for exposing the love and trust rooted in this story.
The intimacy of her love makes you feel like you’re barging in on a private moment. Maybe how we think we’d react to Jesus would be different if we knew it would be totally private instead of in a room full of people….but in the moment, I don’t think it would matter to us because we would be so overwhelmed. Perhaps? Thanks for provoking thought again, Michelle.
Oh, I love that passage if only because of the way Jesus shows compassion on the Pharisee too, tkaing the time to correct his thinking, but softening it with the use of the Pharisee’s name, “Simon.” I think there is something about the life of the prodigal (who are often, in some ways, ones who love too much, too freely) that prepares them for such outpourings when they finally come face to face with the one whom all our hearts desire. The reserved nature of the pharisees and the older brother types make this transformation much more difficult (by nature) but the more we come face-to-face with our own brokenness, the more the love and grace of God compells us. Thanks for sharing, I like th image of you telling Jesus you “like his work.”
Thank you for noticing Jesus’ approach with the Pharisee, Kelly – I had never noticed the subtly there, but you are right, he speaks to Simon with compassion as well. You’ve given me even more to think about with this story today!
“stammer that I admire his work”–That made me laugh on a very un-laughy morning.
I don’t know what I’d do, but I’m a big fan of weeping in public places (grocery stores, airplanes). Maybe I’d weep in the corner and Peter would pull me aside and quietly ask me to pull myself together and leave.
Thank you, Michelle, for taking me anew to this passage of Scripture. I have always read this story believing I would do the same, but I know in my heart that in a room full of men…I probably wouldn’t . Still, I know that I have sinned much in my young life…and therefore, I love much The Man who sacrificed His lifeblood for me. To know that He has taken my crimson stains and turned them white as snow! That He has cast those sins as far as the east is from the west! These truths humble me. I DO believe my heart, my head, and my knees would bow before Him in that moment. “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess…”
Thank you, Michelle, for this holy moment in my day today.
We read that exact psalm yesterday in church, in relation to this reading, Jillie – the part about casing our sins as far as the east is from the west. What a powerful image. I read it again this morning, so grateful that God forgives me, again and again and again.
I love this song…. http://youtu.be/LdrBB0yb-Mo. I think growing in knowing…not head knowing…but the kind that landslides into our hearts with power to remove the debri that has kept us from letting His love be known in the deepest of ways. Thanks for sharing your heart.
I just listened to it, Ro – so beautiful. Thank you for breathing more life and comprehension into these verses. I really like what you say about “heart -knowing,” the kind that “landslides.” I don’t know…I don’t think I’m there. But I haven’t given up…and thank God HE won’t give up me either!!
Oh yes…praises..He never gives up on us… He wants us to know how crazy in love He is with us. He never gave up on me…I was so stuck in the head knowing…could not fathom this kind of love for me…others,yes..but not me. But He is a faithful Lover…and He never tires of the pursuit. One more song maybe?? “He love me…by Dave crowder.
This was so honest. I had to laugh when you suggested offering Jesus a cup of tea. The thought of him sitting down with a cup of china filled with chamomile just tickled my funny bone. But, you did give me a lot to think about. Am I willing to serve that humbly and recklessly? I am not sure…. something to pray about today.
I know what I would love to say that I would do… I know what I encourage my congregation to do when I lead worship and celebrate communion… But, like you dear friend, I would probably shake his hand and offer him a cup of tea… But the good news is that he would accept our tea with a twinkle in his eye and love us!
Ah! That makes me feel better, Michael! I always forget that God knows me – he created me this way after all, right? And he loves me, in spite of my flaws. Yes, thank you for that reminder!
Absolutely
Michelle, really loved this message. Made me ponder…a lot. Here’s what I think would happen if I met Jesus. I’d probably just stare at him in awe for a while, struck dumb by the sheer fact that the living, breathing SON OF GOD was right there, in front of me. Then I’d like to think that I would run into His arms, and hug him for like the rest of the day!
He would probably be the one to suggest the cup of tea to make me let go!!
GOD BLESS!
I love it – you made me laugh with that last line, Sharon. But yes, yes, awe is indeed the perfect response to standing in the presence of Jesus.
Smiling at admiring “his work.” I love that JESUS says that about “her sins, which are many, have been forgiven.” That alone gives me hope.
Me, too, Connie. Me, too. I have many, many sins — some from my past…some ongoing. Thank GOD for his willingness to forgive lavishly.
A refreshingly honest post, Michelle. Maybe we don’t truly know what we’d do till it happens (though we might have a pretty good idea, if we’re honest)……but we can hope that we would lavish our love on Christ, no matter the personal cost (or embarrassment in caring what others think). In addition to Ro’s song, I add this, a personal favorite–Broken and Spilled Out. I wish I could have found a woman singing it, but Steve G. does a beautiful job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP2kZCigZKE
Blessings,
LYnn
Thank you, Lynn – I look forward to listening to the song! {and I so appreciate your insights on this…}
Oh if you don’t know it, you’re going to love it. And if you do, you’ll love it more. I believe it is a Gaither song, and I choke up every time I sing it. Bless you, dear one.
Something tells me if you were face to face with Jesus, you would fall down and kiss his feet. There would be no other choice. The last thing you would be thinking is what someone else would think, and if it was, Something also tells me you might need to assess your relationship with Him. Like, is it real? No offense intended.
Michelle,
I love this. We are definitely being shown the same thing. Last year my word of the Year was trust.
I love your statement:
Like so many spiritual lessons, this one comes down to trust
Trusting HIm to show us the way; to lead and guide; to nudge; to convict; but always knowing He loves us.
Blessings
Janis
I have wished over and over again for more passion. Well, actually it’s really the wish to be able to be outwardly passionate. My heart feels what my timid self can’t seem to do. I console myself with the thought that He has created us all as unique and special. I still wish I could be like her.
He can see inside your passionate heart, dear Linda, even when you are outwardly timid. Love you, Lady!
Michelle, you are such a New Englander! Why else do you think you’d show such reserve?
I’m not very good at talking myself into trusting Jesus more deeply. Trust comes only when I get a deeper glimpse at how deeply Jesus loves me. We love because he first loved–isn’t that it? That kind of wild abandon comes only from one who knows she is deeply, deeply loved.
here we are thinking alike….again. i never thought about it coming down to trust. i suspect i would be the one offering food and drink and making sure the bathroom isn’t stinky.
Oh, Michelle, I love this! I was reading, nodding, thinking, “Me too, oh, yes, me too. Must be proper, mustn’t we?”
Then I remembered how readily I will make an utter fool of myself to coax a laugh from one of my grandbabies. So maybe there’s hope for us yet. I sure hope to be the sort of woman who would offer at least as much to Jesus as she does to her grandkids.
Thanks for hosting us.
How would I act if I met Jesus in person? I think prostrate at His feet – and overwhelming joy that I’m there!
I understand your feelings about this story. I can hardly imagine acting as she did, but then when I contemplate His forgiveness of my sins and acceptance of me, it makes it much more understandable.
Oh Michele…..I have no clue how I would be now, I know how I would want to be, but when you factor in all the oh so human factors like “who is watching me” “what will they think of me” like you said, I don’t think any of us would know, but I have a feeling when we look in His eyes for the first time, all those walls will break down for good and we will be reacting much like she did. Like that song says…..I can only imagine. You wrote about this so honestly that I know Jesus was smiling from where He sits in Heaven. Lori
Michelle,
Oh how you hit me with this one. I too have been holding back from embracing this Scripture. I am not emotional at all. I hold back from giving myself with my whole heart (except when praising God in singing – I have no problem lifting my arms or dancing).
But emotion? What would I do if I met Jesus? Probably ask a pile of questions. I would want a hug. And maybe – if I felt the Spirit lead me – I would bow down and worship. He certainly brought me to my knees when I encountered Him for the first time. mmmm lots to think about.
Blessings,
Janis