Category: Building Community

on • Shannon Popkin

A scandalous scene was unfolding at Simon the Pharisee’s dinner party. A prostitute had crept in and was crouched, weeping at the feet of Jesus. As her tears mingled with her emptied-out perfume, making trickles in his dirty feet, she wiped them with her hair and kissed them clean.

“If this man were a prophet,” Simon thought to himself, “he would know what kind of woman is touching him.” (Luke 7:39). Since Jesus was a prophet, he answered Simon’s thoughts with a story.

“If a man forgave two debts—one for 500 pieces of silver another for 50—which debtor would love him more?” He asked.

Jesus used this comparison story to reveal the true comparison story happening at Simon’s table.

The first debtor is the woman. She has sinned greatly, and contrary to Simon’s supposition, Jesus knows it. Yet, he sees her sin as forgiven. Here at his feet is a daughter of the kingdom, who will one day dance—forgiven and clean—on streets of gold!

But who’s the second debtor? It’s Simon. In his story, Jesus places the Pharisee and a prostitute side-by-side as two sin debtors who cannot pay. Obviously, Simon sees it differently. His condescending disgust reveals his elevated sense of superiority, as he sees himself as a judge. Yet he has misjudged both the woman and Jesus!

By offering no kiss, no foot washing, and no anointing oil, Simon has just snubbed the only One who can forgive his sin. And the woman, with her extravagant love, has rightly elevated Him.

Friend, are you lifting yourself up as a judge with your condescending disgust toward others? Or are you crouched low at Jesus’s feet—a woman who is forgiven and clean?

“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).

*For deeper reflection, listen to Luke 7.

on • Maggie Bruehl

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34

Is there a person in your life who is difficult to get along with?

I know there is in my life. They have hurt me in so many ways that it affects my character. Sometimes, I wonder if they harm me on purpose or if it’s just second-nature for them. Jesus, hanging on the cross, looked down and saw soldiers — the ones who had beat and ridiculed Him and who ultimately nailed His hands to the beam. They were gambling to see who could get His only possession: His bloodied clothes.

In that moment, Jesus’ character — who He was — rose above unimaginable pain. Seeing beyond the rough exterior of foreign, dirty soldiers, Jesus peered deep into their souls. He saw their pain from the past. He also saw their pain in the future. It all hinged on His forgiveness.

Would He be able to forgive these men? Would He be able to take on the sin of not only these people but of all humankind? Would He take on my sin? Even in His weakened and vulnerable state, Jesus did not give into anger, self-centeredness, self-righteousness, or revenge.

 

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing,” he pleaded, requesting forgiveness from His Father, who had the power to rain down fire on the soldiers. In that moment of human weakness, Jesus didn’t sin. He gave unselfishly of Himself and His rights to grant others something they didn’t deserve: forgiveness.

Do I still struggle to forgive? You bet I do! But just as Christ forgives those soldiers and me, I have the choice to look at the person who hurts me every time they wrong me and think, “Father, forgive them, for they really don’t know what they are doing.”

Pray and Respond
Who is the person or past situation that is difficult for you to forgive and what is something Jesus has forgiven you for? Pray that Jesus will give you the grace to forgive your difficult person, just as He has forgiven you.

*For deeper reflection, listen to Luke 23.