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Lessons from the Gospel of Luke
We’re reading through and reflecting on the Gospel of Luke this month at church, and as I was reading through chapter 7, the story of Jesus being anointed by the sinful woman stood out to me. I’ve read this story before and often focused on the Pride of the Pharisees or how this must have been a nice teachable moment for Simon and presumably the other disciples. But what I hadn’t given much attention to was the woman herself.
At the feet of Jesus
Clearly she understood the weight of her sin, which the text says were many, but in this moment she was not trying to justify herself…she was not trying to explain herself…nor she concerned about how others viewed her in this moment. All that mattered in this moment was that she was at the feet of Jesus expressing her broken and contrite spirit. This moment was all about him.
Perhaps she saw Jesus raise the widow’s son from the dead and she knew that this was a Messiah the Holy One of God, and her great humility and tears was the only natural thing for her to do as she longed for forgiveness.
Are we waiting on him to get us, or do we get him?
All too often we are the Pharisees looking down on the sins of others, or perhaps we are like Simon who observed God forgiving the sins of others from a distance. But as we grow in spiritual maturity and understand the full weight of our sins, we are also the woman weeping at the feet of Jesus both in sorrow and gratitude – feeling the full weight and shame of our past sins, but also eternally grateful for forgiveness and the chance to now live in peace as we follow Christ.
This story reminds us that our posture should first be at the feet of Jesus and humble submission and gratitude. It’s all about him and forming our life into who he has called us to be.
