Messed Up, But Forgiven

There’s a lot of messed-up people in the Bible. The prostitute woman in Luke 7:36-50 really strikes me as one who was messed up and knew it!

Here’s the summary of the story: Simon, who was a Pharisee, had invited Jesus to come to dinner at his house. Simon had committed some social atrocities by not washing Jesus’ feet and anointing his head with oil nor did he greet Jesus with a kiss. All at once, a woman who had lived a sinful life as a prostitute crashed the party because she learned Jesus was eating there. During the meal, she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. The woman was so sorry for her sins!

Simon was livid! He couldn’t believe what he was seeing! How could this woman get away with this? Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and then told a story to help Simon get things straight. Jesus told about two men who borrowed money. One borrowed 500 denarii and the other 50 denarii. After some time, the lender told the men that they didn’t have to pay him back. They could literally keep the money! ‘Which of those men will love him more?’ Jesus asked. Simon got the right answer! ‘The one who had the bigger debt canceled would love more.’

As it turns out, Simon was so busy judging the woman that he missed out. Jesus was so blessed by the grateful woman that he rebuked Simon’s actions and spoke these words to the woman ‘Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.' Then, Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”

Simon saw a prostitute. Simon missed that she was a person, created in the image of God, who sinned. No different than you and I... created in the image of God, but sin. In fact, Simon probably missed her acts of worship to Jesus. He could only judge. Period. In contrast, Jesus saw everything. He saw the woman. He knew her horrible past and knew her beautiful future. Jesus forgave the woman. 

Just as the other guests started murmuring and wondering about how Jesus could do this, Jesus offered the woman some beautiful words of assurance “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)

Every day I blow it. I sin. Whether it’s the choices I make, the words I speak, the thoughts I think. I fall short of God’s perfection. I don’t want to be okay with my sin. As I ask God to show me my sin, guess what? He does! I want to run to Him with the same intensity as the prostitute woman, who loved much! It’s when we realize the depth of our sin that we can appreciate Jesus’ forgiveness and love. I’m messed up, but forgiven. How about you?

“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Isaac Watts

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.