JESUS LOVED THEM BOTH

Writing for Five Minute Friday.

Today's theme word is:  BOTH

I love the story of the woman washing Jesus' hair with her feet.   What I didn't realise until recently was that she washed Jesus' feet from behind.   She didn't even come round in front of Him.   That puts a whole other spin on it, right?   She was carrying so much shame that she didn't even risk facing Him.   I guess if He was reclining on a couch, His feet were behind Him so it makes sense, but so many graphics show her at His feet.   The passage clearly states she was behind Him.   

https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/jesus-simon/

A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume and stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying.   She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume.    Luke 7:37-38

Simon the Pharisee, on the other hand, was an honoured man in his community, and obviously wealthy enough to host guests.     And self-righteous enough to be silently judging this women making a fool of herself.  

When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this, he thought to himself, “If Jesus were a prophet, He would know that the woman touching Him is a sinner!”   Luke 7:39

I would have loved to give him a good ticking off for his attitude, even though I've been guilty of the very same thing many times.   Once you see it, you realise how much self-righteousness stinks and then you judge someone for being judgemental.  Go figure.   

But Jesus didn't give him a ticking off.  

And Jesus didn't dismiss this 'sinner' wetting His feet, this fallen woman who was overcome in His presence.  

Jesus loved them both.  

He addressed both of their needs.

Jesus starts comparing the depth of love between two people forgiven of debts.   The debts are considerably different, one ten times bigger than the other.  But both debts are forgiven; both debtors are grateful.

Simon the Pharisee needed to understand that forgiveness isn't based on performance but on God's abundant mercy. 

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him....  Ps 103:11

The woman needed to know she was forgiven and clean and free to make good choices.  

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”   Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”    Luke 7:48-50

I wonder how both characters ended up? 

I wonder what the woman's back story was.   I wonder if she was one of the women who went on to become a regular follower of Jesus.   

I wonder if Simon learnt the lesson.  I wonder if eventually he understood grace.  

Jesus loved them both.   

It's often said there are two sides to the story - yours and mine.  But I say there are three sides - yours, mine and the truth.

Jesus knows the truth in every scene, the truth in each person's back story, the truth behind the attitudes and the behaviours.  

And He loves them both.   

Can we love them both?  

It's easy to love the one we're drawn to out of empathy, compassion, similar life journeys.  It's not easy to love the one who aggravates us.    

It's hard to love them both, when one seems like the 'bad' guy and the other one our friend.   

Jesus doesn't sacrifice truth to love them both.  

He saw them both, knew them both, addressed both needs.   

And He offered mercy to both.   

I need to learn to do the same.   

I need to love them both.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love ....   Eph 4:1-2

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You, but they're trippin' over me................

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners,

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Oh, let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

Yeah, yeah