Rev Gav

Potential

Luke 7:40-43

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people — 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said.

Reflect

Jesus was dining with Simon who was a Pharisee (an expert in the religious law). A woman came and sat at Jesus’ feet, cried tears on them, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume. Simon was not best pleased and thought that if Jesus really was a prophet, then he would know who was touching him. Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and replied with a story about two people who had their debts cancelled, before asking Simon which person would love the money-lender the most?

The question Jesus asked Simon was not a trick question, and Simon guessed right, that the one with the bigger debt cancelled would love more. Of course, Jesus was talking about the woman kneeling at his feet. The woman’s response to Jesus — to weep and anoint his feet with perfume — was an emotional sign of love and gratitude for Jesus because she ‘owed’ more. We do not know what she had done in her life and Simon described her as a sinner, but whatever it was, she was overwhelmed with emotion as she encountered Jesus.

Simon, the Pharisee, would have separated and distanced himself from sinners like this woman, however, Jesus embraced and welcomed sinners. Jesus did not condemn her for what she had been, but saw in her the potential for what she might become. Forgiveness transforms lives, and it is the same for us.

Jesus does not condemn us for what we have been, but sees in us the potential for what we might become.

The faith lesson for us is, do we judge and condemn people by what they have done — their online persona, and so on — or do we see people for who they might become in Jesus?

Do

Today, think of someone who needs the transforming forgiveness of Jesus — perhaps someone who has a hard exterior, has been in trouble, or lacks self-worth. Pray that God would meet them through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Think

How do we embrace ‘sinners’ without endorsing their lifestyle or being tempted to fall into patterns of unhelpful behaviour ourselves?

Pray

Holy God
May I never underestimate the power
of your transforming love.
Help me not to be elitist,
or think myself better than others.
Melt my own heart and fill me with compassion,
that I might see people as you see them.
This day and forever.
Amen.