Luke 7:36-50
Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this (referring to the prostitute washing Jesus feet with her tears), 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.”
If Jesus were combative, he might have picked up the 2×4 of correction and said, “And if you were a true shepherd of Israel you would know who I was and that it was precisely this sort of person I came to be touched by.” But Jesus knew that a thousand well placed blows would not have revealed to this pharisee what sort of person he was. What is it about a religious spirit that causes such a total black-out of self awareness? How does it strip one of empathy and equip one to judge? Have you ever been guilty of this? I have.
It did not happen in a singular moment of time but I went through a season where, If I had had better ears to hear, I would have heard Jesus say, “Rob. I have something to say to you.” For the record, the way he has most commonly spoken to me is over time and through process. The upheaval, in that season, of my mental-emotional condition, led me to believe he must have been trying to say something! The intensity of this storm suggested that this something might be very significant. It was.
While I have heard the voice of God through scripture, discerned it through circumstances and (on one occasion) even heard inaudible, brilliantly clear words in my spirit, I was about to learn that God also speaks through others. First there was the doctor who asked me, “Mr. Cummins, did you know your life is being driven by anger?” The !*LL you say. Then there was the prophet who told me, “You are filled with religion.” Thank you very little. Finally there was the counselor who said, “You really do not know who you are, do you?” I was at the end of myself and said, “No, apparently I am clueless.” It was about at this point in the process that I said, in my heart, “Go ahead Teacher. just say it.”
It would be nice wouldn’t it if Jesus would just plainly say it but that would interrupt the process he leads us through which enables us to own and take responsibility for that thing he is after in our hearts (whatever that thing might be). Just saying it, in a brief moment, would shortchange the opportunity to know him and his ways in our hearts. You see I did not understand what the doctor, the prophet or the counselor were talking about it. Like Mary, I just held these special words in my heart until they made sense. Thanks to the process, it didn’t take long.
I have told the story elsewhere of the Great Loader Bucket Incident – the trial the Lord arranged to show me (and some VIP’s) my heart. The scene was no less a spectacle than Simon and the Sinful Woman, except that hers was truly admirable; mine was absolutely deplorable. While tears of repentance streamed from this broken woman’s eyes, oaths and curses spewed from my angry and indignant heart, directed at a well-meaning and undeserving friend. As the mushroom cloud faded, my heart eventually said, “Oh dear! Now I see what you mean. OK Lord, Keep speaking. You have my full attention. …. This is going to hurt isn’t it?”
I have true friends who will read this this yarn and think, “Poor chap, all his reading has driven him mad.” However, I have other (usually younger) friends who are asking for help in distinguishing between discernment and judgement, and a critical spirit and an honest -forthright one. It is with this sort of person my story may better resonate. Ours are those spirits who somehow ended up proud, stripped of empathy and prepared to judge. We were willing, on principle, to put things right in our own way, in our own time, in Jesus’ name. These are the types of things I heard Jesus speak to me over time and through process.
I entered this season deeply discouraged, confident I was one who did not hear my father’s voice. I exited this trial knowing that he had been speaking all along. Wow! That I did not always hear his voice with thus-sayeth-the-Lord unction in concise sentence format (as was popular among my tribe) turned out to be ok. I left this season knowing I had had a priceless encounter with God. Jesus had let me know he had something to say. I ask him to say it and he did.
The fruit of this encounter has been revolutionary for my heart. I am nor exempt but I am far less inclined to look at another person and say, “They are this or that sort of person.” I am not 100% but I am also more inclined to empathize, considering this or that person’s plight, knowing they too have been duped by sin or religion – the most deceitful substitute available for an authentic relationship with God.
Among us there are many who have asked Jesus into their hearts. Some of us imagine our debt was 500 denarii-plus, some – around 50. And then some imagine they had zero to modest debt whatsoever. I believe that since empathy is realized and tears are spilled proportional to perceived debt, my prayer for us all is…..
Father, help us to understand that we are all in the “500 Plus” club and that any tendency to pick up a stone as opposed to shedding a tear keeps our hearts aloof from you and others. It would be your kindness to show us how deeply indebted we are to you and others. Show us that we might each know how perfectly qualified we are as the chiefs of sinners who, by your great mercies, have been enabled to stand boldly and joyously rejoicing in your most holy presence. May we live the balance of our days repaying to both the deserving and undeserving, and especially to you, our indebtedness of love. Amen.
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Luke 7:36-50
Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine 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 kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and 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.”
Parable of Two Debtors
And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 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, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not 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 he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”