About Much Is Expected

Luke 7:36-50 New King James Version (NKJV)

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (NKJV)

Perspective Shift – Much is Expected

Salt and Light, Vulnerability and Tough Unconditional Love, Balance and Breakthrough

47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Note verse 47, where Jesus blatantly and truthfully, in a room full of judgmental men and women, delivered the Truth to both the woman, and to those who would shame her. He did not minimize her sin, make it look pretty, smooth it over or try not to hurt her feelings. He gave her the blessing from what others say is her greatest shame. Jesus knew the freedom she came to seek and receive was much greater than all the other elements in the natural, logical, emotional, psychological, economical, or social realms. The Truth, the kind that brings true freedom, both instant and progressively over a lifetime, it is difficult to face. He gave no one in the room an opportunity to deny the Truth. This did not change the Gospel message, in fact it exemplifies it in the very Merciful, Unconditional way He acknowledged the very sin for which He would die to cleanse. She knew herself, the many things she was guilty of and I can speak from experience, she was harder on herself than anyone’s outward opinions. Yet it is also because of the depth of her own sinful, dirty, sorrowful, self-defeated, hopeless place, where a void of dark endless pain existed. It is because she knows these very depths, she KNOWS, and Sits at the very Feet of her undeserved gift that is Jesus, her Savior, the ONLY ONE who could cleanse her. I am sure others still had their opinions and mistreated her, but SHE changed, I Changed.

The life of active progressive transformation is often a struggle, but not anything like the place she, or I was when I threw my life at Him and told Him I did not want me anymore. This journey is tough in a very different, but "for my good" way.

Be encouraged. You will find when you lean into Him, even when it gets rough, even if you scrape your knees, you will never be left behind to carry the load. If you are weary of where ever that place for you may be, come to Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is Light, you WILL find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:28-30).

Personal Revelation: As hard and good as the old me had become at trying NOT to be loved, that is the place where I began to learn how to be Loved by Him. It is also my breakthrough, my blessing, and My purpose. My ministry is Tough Love, Unconditionally, Truthfully, with Salt and Light for His honor with gratitude. Much is expected, for I have been forgiven much.