In Luke 7, Jesus is eating dinner at Simon the Pharisee's home. In walks a woman of ill-repute and cries at his feet, washing his feet with her tears, kissing them and and pours a very expensive perfumed oil on his feet. Jesus then asks Simon who would be more appreciative, the one forgiven a small debt or great debt. Simon doesn't even have to think- its obvious the one who was forgiven more. Jesus says "good answer."
Now Jesus turns around so He's facing the woman, although He is still speaking to Simon.
Jesus: Do you see this woman here? Its kind of funny. I entered your home, and you didn't provide a basin of water so I could wash the road dust from my feet. You didn't give me a customary kiss of greeting and welcome. You didn't offer me the common courtesy of oil to brighten my face. But this woman has wet my feet with her own tears and washed them with her own hair. She hasn't stopped kissing my feet since I came in. And she has applied perfumed oil to my feet. This woman has been forgiven much, and she is showing much love. But the person who has shown little love has shown how little forgiveness he has received.
(to the woman) Your sins are forgiven.
Simon and friends (muttering among themselves): Who does this guy think he is? He has the audacity to claim the authority to forgive sins?
Jesus (to the woman): Your faith has liberated you. Go in peace.
So after just having written Funny Thing, I was caught by that phrase "Its kind of funny." Now italics indicate an implied meaning in the Voice- like the translation is not literal, but it is what it would have meant in the original greek or hebrew. They do this so the reader does not have to use footnotes. I love it.
I set the book down, and turned to my husband and said "I'm in love with another man more than you and His name is Jesus." You see, its kind of funny how you have to lose your life to find it again. Its kind of funny how the least shall be the greatest. Its kind of funny how a baby boy was laid in a wooden feeding trough at the beginning of his life, and laid on a wooden cross at the end. Both for the world to know God. How our God loves us so much that he took the first step because he knows how darn stubborn we are.
Its kind of funny, how I can smell the earthy smell of Jesus' feet. See as my tears hit his dirt stained skin. Watch my long, beautiful prized hair get soaked in mud. Taste the earthy warmth as I kiss those feet. Smell the perfume as it hits his feet and the smell permeates the room. Listen as Jesus sharply tells off the pharisee. No man has ever stood up for me before like this. Truly He is who he says he is. Feel the forgiveness that God has granted. Feel the the liberation when Jesus speaks to me. "Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has liberated you, go in peace." Not caring as I leave the house knowing that my Savior loves me, despite all of the pharisees' eyes burning holes in my back. Walking, no - running to tell my friends what has just happened. Changing my life because now I am free, now I am loved.
Let me ask you something. Have you ever been there?
That is grace.
I will never forget the feeling - or at least I pray that I never do.
Its kind of funny, I never thought that the smell of feet and dirt would remind me of my Savior. Now I will never be the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment