“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little,” (Luke 7:47).
These words of Jesus were spoken after a sinful woman anointed Him with her tears and perfume at a gathering in the home of Simon the Pharisee. Simon (not to be confused with Simon Peter) was quick to point out what a sinful woman she was. He even contemptuously announced that Jesus must not be a true prophet or He would not have let the woman touch Him (See Luke 7:36-50).
What the woman did was shocking. The Jewish law prohibited a woman to be seen in public without her hair covered. She was also a known sinner, considered unclean, and she was touching a holy Rabbi, which according to the law, would make Him unclean. What exactly was going on in the heart of this woman that gave her the boldness to perform such a scandalous act?
Jesus was always turning tables. Instead of her sinfulness making Jesus unclean, Jesus touched her and made her clean. It is a beautiful picture of God’s redemption.
I’ve pondered this passage many times over the years. I can relate to this woman’s great appreciation of the forgiveness she had received. But I had so many questions about the whole interaction. What is significant about how Jesus handles Simon’s attempts to shame this woman? Was the woman forgiven much because she loved much? Or did she love much because she had been forgiven much? In other words…was her love a prerequisite for forgiveness? Or did her love result from the forgiveness? Does this passage mean that those with greater sin actually love Jesus more?
Jesus doesn’t turn away from us in our sin. The Pharisee looked upon her with contempt, but Jesus looked upon her with compassion. It was this loving compassion that gave her the boldness to be vulnerable to Him. Have you ever struggled to be vulnerable with God because there was a part of you that you weren’t ready to relinquish? Are there people in your life who are needing your compassion so they might have the courage to be transparent with you about their own sin or struggles?
This woman poured out her sin, her grief, and her shame at the feet of Jesus. She found not condemnation, but love. Interestingly, it was the prideful Simon who received the condemnation. Jesus knew of this woman’s sin…every vile act she had committed….yet despite her great sin, His love was far greater. What are you holding back from Jesus? He already knows. There is freedom in pouring it all out at His feet.
But what about that freedom? Was it given because of her act of love? The important word “Therefore” in verse 47 gives us a clue. My pastor always says, “Whenever you see the word “Therefore,” you need to stop and find out what it is there for.” The word “therefore” refers to the antecedent condition of forgiveness, which THEN resulted in faith, repentance, and trust. In other words, BECAUSE of the compassionate love and forgiveness of Christ, she repented and placed her faith in Him. “It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance,” (Romans 2:4). We can do nothing to earn God’s forgiveness. Our love for Him doesn’t earn us forgiveness; rather, our love is a natural outpouring of the great appreciation of that gift of forgiveness.
“Whoever has been forgiven little loves little,” (verse 47). That bothered me. It sounds like sinning more will make us love Jesus more. But that is not the way of God. To love God, we must know God. And to know Him at all….we must approach Him as a sinner. Being forgiven much doesn’t mean being forgiven of more sin. It means a greater awareness of our sin…casting away our pride to bare it all before Him, Whose grace is greater than all our sin. It is His love that woos us…not our own efforts of love or obedience. His pardoning mercy always comes first, which then plants a love for Him in our hearts.
The woman’s act of service of anointing Jesus didn’t earn the forgiveness Jesus bestowed upon her. Serving Him was the natural action that followed as she experienced the wonder and celebration of that forgiveness…pouring out her love to Him. What are you doing, not to earn His love, but to show your love to Him? How has His gift of forgiveness been made manifest in your life so that others see it and wonder…”Who is this Who even forgives sins? (Luke 7:49).
What hurts do you need to lay at His feet? Do you have the courage to relinquish them to Him? Surrendering those hard emotions can be difficult. It is much easier to squelch them and pretend they don’t exist. Surrendering them means you have to feel the pain of them all over again. But He can’t heal them until you trust Him with them.
I wrote this poem many decades ago as I was in the middle of counseling. I’ve never shared it with anyone before. I’m so glad I poured it all out at His feet and know His love in a whole new way because I trusted Him enough to relinquish it. Walls in our hearts keep us from the joy of connecting with God and connecting with others. What do you need to relinquish today?
RELINQUISHED
I took some bricks off my wall.
It made me want to run.
Putrid, ugly secrets,
Spilling out into the sun.
I don’t want my friends to see the vileness.
I won’t reveal my need.
Plastic smiles will keep them distant,
While I stand detached and bleed.
I must keep control of all of it.
Stuff it down and be a faker.
I can’t reveal my feelings
To my friends or to my Maker.
Him! He sanctioned cruel attacks
And watched me wounded, unopposed.
The Bible says He loves me,
But the voice inside me knows…
He had heard all my prayers
But looked away and said, “Refuse her.”
God if You’re great and mighty,
Then are YOU the real abuser?
So, I sit here wrestling with You,
My fists beating at the sky,
Begging You to love me
And demanding to know why.
I’m alarmed by my own anger,
Feelings squelched through all the years.
The dam I’ve built has now been breached,
And I can’t hold back the tears.
But tears bring a subtle flicker
Of new healing born in me…
New emotioins from this once-dead heart
Show me things I didn’t see.
I’m finding beauty in those feelings
When my heart reaches for connection.
God please help me. I’m so sorry
For my walls of self-protection.
To trust that You’re a good God…
Is my feeble, searching start.
Please walk this journey with me
Because I’m afraid of my own heart.
I want my interactions now
To begin to bring You glory.
As I learn to love in new ways,
You can now rewrite my story.
I relinquish all my will to You
And my right to understand.
I may never know the reasons,
But I’ll trust Your sovereign hand.
All of it I give to You…
At Your feet each memory lay.
You’ve rubbed raw the flesh within my heart,
So You can heal my wounds today.
This hardened heart can seek You now.
I give you all the muck and dirt.
I submit my trembling soul to You
To use each hidden hurt.
Love defeats my self-protection.
I’ll relinquish my control.
I’ll love others when it costs me.
I’ll take the armor off my soul.
As You bring beauty from the ashes,
Joy is growing now inside…
That You never looked away from me…
You were making me Your radiant bride.
© 1998 Bobbie Perkins
