elysian
June 14th 2004, 12:41 PM
I will readily confess that sometimes I fail to "err on the side of grace." I can tend toward rigidity and legalism, especially if I feel threatened or under stress.
However in taking the full counsel of Scripture and knowing that Jesus is Who He claims to be, we find that the people Jesus was the most critical of were not the tax collectors, prostitutes and others that polite society generally labelled as "sinners," but the Pharisees and religious leaders.
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 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."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 7:36-50 (NIV)
This example haunts me, especially in the times I've been more worried about rules and regs or rituals and lost sight of love, mercy and grace. Who are we to be scandalized about another's past when we have skeletons in our own closets?
Extending mercy is a gift of God's grace in which we can be ambassadors of His love, offering rest for the weary and hope for those who are fellow travelers.
The question here is are we focusing on condemning others and saying, "well so and so is worse than me in ______ways" or are we extending a helping hand and listening ear to those who are hurting, those who desperately want to experience God's love and for whatever reason feel so separated from Him that they cannot? Are we more worried about living as our faith in Christ would dictate or about policing the activities of others? I know I fail in this area, and I pray for the forgiveness and heart-change that only Christ can bring.
However in taking the full counsel of Scripture and knowing that Jesus is Who He claims to be, we find that the people Jesus was the most critical of were not the tax collectors, prostitutes and others that polite society generally labelled as "sinners," but the Pharisees and religious leaders.
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 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."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 7:36-50 (NIV)
This example haunts me, especially in the times I've been more worried about rules and regs or rituals and lost sight of love, mercy and grace. Who are we to be scandalized about another's past when we have skeletons in our own closets?
Extending mercy is a gift of God's grace in which we can be ambassadors of His love, offering rest for the weary and hope for those who are fellow travelers.
The question here is are we focusing on condemning others and saying, "well so and so is worse than me in ______ways" or are we extending a helping hand and listening ear to those who are hurting, those who desperately want to experience God's love and for whatever reason feel so separated from Him that they cannot? Are we more worried about living as our faith in Christ would dictate or about policing the activities of others? I know I fail in this area, and I pray for the forgiveness and heart-change that only Christ can bring.