Evening

May 4

Luke 7:45-47 ⁴⁵You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dinner. Since the Pharisees were at odds with Jesus, Simon was really sticking his neck out to do this. Dinner was a time of conversation with friends, but Simon still held back many of the customary greetings for true friends. He did not wash the feet of his guest, give a kiss of greeting, or provide oil for his face.

A woman of ill repute who had realized the forgiveness that Christ offered came into the house uninvited. She washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. She kissed His feet and poured perfume on them. Simon began to think that he had made a mistake in inviting Jesus. What holy person would let a woman of her reputation touch them?

Jesus shared a parable about men who were forgiven, one for a small debt and the other for a large debt. Jesus asked Simon who would be most grateful. He realized the one with the larger debt would, of course, be more grateful. Jesus had shown Simon that he was misinterpreting both the woman's heart and Jesus' receptivity to her. Then Jesus pointed out that she had done the things he refused to do. Simon would not love Jesus as much as she did, for he did not realize the depth of his sin as she did. Do you?

The one who is forgiven much loves much. As you open yourself to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you see the real ugliness of the old nature. The greater your understanding of your depravity, the more you will love Jesus for the forgiveness that only He can bring. Even Christians, because of the pain, often avoid the light of conviction. We should welcome that light if we desire to love Him more.

Consider: Have I been welcoming the light of conviction?