Welcome to Day 21 of our 40 Day challenge! Luke 7:36-50

(Catch up with us, with our reading list March, reading list for April,  and Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20)

Today we are reading Luke 7:36-50:

Luke 7:36-50

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet,he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,^] and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet,but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head,but she has poured perfume on my feet.⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

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

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

In this passage today I see the kindness of Jesus to both the woman with the perfume and to Simon the Pharisee. We see the two extremes in society here. The very top and the very bottom. On a regular day, this woman would never have dared to enter the home of a Pharisee. But with Jesus there, she not only finds the courage, she feels compelled. I imagine she may have heard the contents of His sermons, turning society upside-down in who is called blessed in the Kingdom of God. This Prophet who eats with tax collectors and sinners. She had to be near Him and show her gratitude.

I imagine Simon sitting there, thinking, well, that’s that. If he really were a prophet, he would know who is at his feet. He might have felt proud of himself for getting to the bottom of it, and not taking the words of others. He invited this man to see for himself.

I imagine Simon’s shock when Jesus answers his silent, judgmental thoughts out loud.

Jesus doesn’t always explain Himself or His parables. But here He gives Simon a beautiful lesson, showing him what was really going on, and the beauty in it. He showed their hypocrisy in how they treated Him versus how she did.

The Pharisees whose hearts were not open to God, saw only what was happening on the surface. They prioritized their reputation and position in society. They walked very strict, legalistic lives. It was hard work. They worked so hard for God, that they didn’t recognize His work around them. Oof.

Lord, let the weight of what we’ve been forgiven move us to extravagant gratitude to you. And give us the same generosity of spirit to others. Help us see clearly your work in our own lives, and in the lives of others.

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

We’ll see you next time, for Day 22 and John 8:1-20

♥ Samantha