A Series on Living in the Wilderness: Part
2
(Click on the link below to read the
verses.)
Luke 7:36-50
[This is Part 2
in a series of looking at people who lived in the wilderness. Not necessarily the
wilderness of nature, but the wilderness of life. In fact, there are times when
we all feel like we are living in the wilderness. During those times, it’s
important to remember that the Lord is faithful. That He loves you and is
always with you.]
The definition of
an outlier is something that doesn’t fit with its surroundings.
The word can be
applied to data gathering, geology or most any object. It can also apply to
people… like the sinful woman in Luke 7.
As the story goes,
Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner. In that culture, it was considered
a virtue to invite a teacher over for dinner, especially if the teacher were
from out of town or had just taught at the synagogue. In fact, this was likely
a banquet in honor of Jesus, but to bring prestige to Simon.
As the invited
guests were reclined at table, an uninvited guest appeared and did something
totally unexpected… and socially unacceptable.
37 When
a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a
beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then
she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she
wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting
perfume on them. NLT
Her behavior was scandalous! Simon silently judged Jesus for allowing it to happen.
Realizing this, Jesus told
Simon a story about a lender who forgave the loans of two people. One loan was
a very large amount and the other was very small. Jesus then asked Simon which
of the borrowers would love the lender more.
Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt
forgiven”. Jesus proceeded to publicly chastise him for not extending
common courtesies such as washing Jesus’ feet, greeting him with a kiss or
anointing his head with oil.
He then compared
Simon to the sinful woman by praising her. For she had done all of these as an
expression of the depth of her love for Jesus.
47 “I
tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me
much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then
Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” NLT
Both the sinful
woman and Simon the Pharisee lived in a wilderness. The former was a wilderness
of a social and religious outlier, rejected by the status quo. The later was a
wilderness of religious rules and self-righteous piety, maintaining the status
quo.
No matter which
wilderness you may be living in at the moment, Jesus died for your sins and is
ready to forgive you. What Jesus said to the sinful woman, he will say to you.
“Your faith has saved you; go in
peace.” NLT
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