Sharing a Day Early!

I went to church last night. I haven’t gone to church on Wednesday night in years. I used to go all the time; Sunday morning and Sunday evening, and then on Wednesday evening. I stopped doing that when I left the church that I am now attending (again). We had moved our family to a smaller, country-type church and they didn’t offer mid-week bible studies. It was the beginning of my drifting away from God and someday I’ll share that journey with you. For today, I just wanted to let you know that I was drawn to attend a mid-week bible study last night for the first time in years. I’m so glad I went.

My pastor teaches line-by-line, precept-by-precept, from the bible. He doesn’t teach topically, pulling verses to fit the topic he is teaching. He lets God’s word teach all by itself. I learn so much this way, as it allows me to keep everything in context. Context is very important.

So, last night he was supposed to start teaching in Leviticus; apparently they had just finished Exodus the previous week. But instead, he chose to take a break and teach from Luke.  Why, I do not know. Following is the passage:

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." 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."

Luke 7.36-50

There are two people in this story that stand out to me, the pharisee and the woman. Jesus differentiates between the two of them in this passage. We see the difference pointed out in His parable of the moneylender and more importantly, when he directly points out their differences when he talks about what the pharisee doesn’t do and what the woman does do.

I have been thinking about it all night and all morning.

Who am I in this passage? Can I easily say “I am the woman!” Or do I squirm and admit that I am the pharisee.

If I think (not so humbly) that I am clearly the woman, then do I love the way I should? And I also have to consider if I understand exactly what love looks like to God. Is it the same as the world or is it different?

If I, with deep regret, admit that I am more like the pharisee. Where does that leave me? Do I have a teachable spirit so that the Lord can open my eyes and my understanding? Is my heart too hard and unwilling to accept my weaknesses in this area?

So much to think about and to contemplate on.