David Williams
Winchester
Luke 7: 38: “and 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.”
Luke describes a dinner given for Jesus in which the uninvited guest becomes the central character. A woman overwhelmed by Jesus act of grace and forgiveness has come to anoint his feet with perfume. The host is horrified! As the woman arrives, she is overcome and starts weeping, her tears fall on Jesus feet – she uses her hair to dry the tears and this looks like a scandalous act. Finally, she pours the perfume on his feet, social convention has been thrown out of the window.
In this brief incident we are given a glimpse of exuberant generosity and surprising grace but also fierce opposition from the host. Jesus turns the tables on the critical host – who is the one who is guilty of poor hospitality. But unlike the woman, whose actions are from an overwhelming experience of God’s goodness and forgiveness, the host has failed to see Gods generous love – even when it sits in person at his own table. This is deeply challenging to those of us who we might describe as religious.
What are we missing? Are we so measured that we have missed what God is doing?
“Your sins are forgiven!”
“Your faith has saved you!”
“Go in peace!”
Three life changing things Jesus declares to the weeping woman.
Lord open my eyes to see your work of generous grace, open my ears to hear your words of forgiveness and soften my heart to respond to your generosity.