Luke 7:36-50 (NIV) - “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 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 people 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 forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’ ‘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-as her great love has shown. But whoever 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.’

Jesus came eating and drinking with sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes and every other problem-child that society had generated. That sounds a lot like us…the church with Jesus. When we are together eating/fellowshipping, it is clear sign that God’s forgiveness is greater than any personal/people preference, allergy to others, and messed up choices. We come together because our sins have been forgiven; we love each other because our sins are forgiven; and, in eating together, we feast on the new freedom in the Spirit that this forgiveness promises. Our fellowship is not rooted in what we want, but ultimately what we needed most, and therefore the continual reminder and experience of that need - love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

As we ponder the magnitude of God’s forgiveness in our lives, let’s spend time seeking God’s forgiveness for how we have cheapened His grace in the way we use and misuse those around us. And in the grace that God gives us, let us seek forgiveness with those we need reconciliation with, and let us be quick to forgive those who have sinned against us. Lastly, let us pray for our ministries and fellowship to be those who deeply know God’s forgiveness, and let us ask for the overwhelming love that we see exemplified in the woman at Jesus’ feet.

-TR