Do You See This Woman?

Spouse got a great nap today. Woke up feeling inspired to write another blog.  :)

I know a few 20-somethings that will be stoked. That makes me happy.

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Luke 7:36-50

I am currently reading through the book of Luke with my girls in the evening, and came across this passage.   This one has always tugged at me, and the girls were visibly shaken by the account as well.   It’s one of those that we can speed read past in our routine missing the heaviness of the moment.

Would you please read Luke 7:36-50? Even if you are familiar with the passage, take a minute a read it again.

We don’t even know her name, or the extent of the sins she committed other than tradition telling us she was a prostitute.  If she said a word during the exchange,  Luke did not capture it.  Contrast this with the religious leader, Simon: we know his name, his position, and also understand from the setting that it was common practice for a dinner with important people to draw spectators.  As they ate the crowd would line the walls with the dignitary and his guest in the center at the table listening to the conversation.

Can you imagine what it would take for her to walk into that crowd?  

Let that settle for a minute.  She was known, her sin was not hidden-- she wore it like a sign around her neck.  The weight heavy with regret and shame.  Vs. 36-39

Jesus describes the debt in terms we can understand.  A denari would have been about a day’s wage, so Jesus is describing the forgiveness of a man who owed about two months of work versus a man who owed a year and a half worth of wages.  Vs. 40-43

The contrast goes on when you realize just how different the experiences with Christ were between the two.  Simon did not even bother to do what would have been customarily acceptable in the time, but she could not control the tears and overflow of worship that poured out.  Vs. 44-47

Lastly, they also left very differently.  We see Simon left skeptical and rejecting authority; she leaves new in faith and new forgiveness.  Vs 48-50

Do you see this woman?

I don’t know what your worship experience was like today at church, or if you even made it. 

But,

·      I wonder if worship would not look different if we understood the price of our sins that have been forgiven. 

·      I wonder how many don’t have the courage to attend a service, because there sins are public and laid bare before the judgment of people fortunate enough by grace not to have made the same mistakes. Or to have just hidden them better.

·      I wonder if the worship would go longer, the songs sang sweeter, and the love for one another grow stronger if we just got it.

mdh. 

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Do y'all  hear  "Does Anybody Hear Her?" by Casting Crowns in your head right now?

LOVE!

Melissa