Wednesday, March 25, 2015
A Forgiveness Reflection from Kate Nesheim
It is rare to have a friend who praises
you when you have publicly embarrassed them. It is also remarkable for someone
to tell you what you need to hear, even when doing so ruins their reputation.
In Luke 7:36-47, Jesus does both these things. God still does both for all of
us.
Who in your life would you defend at
any cost? And, who would defend you? Jesus valued the “sinner” woman enough
to defend her when everyone in the room found her actions entirely
inappropriate. Cultural historians tell us that, for a man of good standing,
this woman’s display of affection—washing his feet with her tears, drying them
with her hair, pouring perfume on them—would have been mortifying. According to
Kenneth Bailey’s Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, the other dinner
guests may have suspected him as one of her partners. This was horrible timing,
because it was likely that the Pharisees hosting the dinner party were testing
Jesus. In refusing him water, kiss, and an anointing, they were “hazing” him.
When Jesus praised the woman at Simon’s expense, he certainly lost his standing
among these powerful people. He did it anyway, because he was delighted with
her. In the same way, God values us, humble as we are, far more than he values
any so-called “standing” with the powers of this world.
Who will be honest with you when you
have done wrong? Jesus also valued Simon enough to reprimand him when he
needed it, even at great social cost to himself. Jesus calls out the Pharisees’
hazing ritual, and tells Simon that he is being ungrateful. As readers, we can
ask ourselves where God is showing us the ways we hurt people around us. God
will never tire of helping us end our harmful behaviors.
Lord,
you love me enough to honor my good intentions, even when the result is not
what I intended. You also value me enough to correct my wrong actions through
the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Help me to love and value others as you taught
us. Amen.
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