“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””
Luke 7:36-50 NLT
Jesus loved everyone—even the Pharisees. The Pharisees were Jesus’ main antagonists, but many of them were curious about Christ. Simon invited Jesus into his home, but problems arose when a sinful woman anointed Christ’s feet. Simon and Jesus had different ways of viewing the sinful woman, each other, and themselves. Simon saw himself as clean, Jesus as a guest who was lucky to be invited over, and the woman as unclean who was not welcome in his house until she changed her sinful life.
Jesus saw something different. Jesus saw Himself as the Savior and Forgiving One, the woman as a sinner who was humbly coming to God, and Simon as a sinner who neglected some basic courtesies due to arrogance. Simon was blessed to have Jesus in his house, and Jesus was hoping that Simon would not miss the opportunity to see himself, the sinful woman, and Jesus through the eyes of God. You are invited to see with the eyes of Christ. Walking with the King changes how you see yourself and others. Accept His invitation and change your view. We don’t know how Simon reacted, but the story invites you to ask how YOU will respond.
How do you view yourself? Jesus? Sinful people? How does your view line up with the perspective of Christ?
