How much have you been forgiven?
But he who is forgiven little, loves little. – Luke 7:47
When we read about the encounter Jesus had with Simon the Pharisee and the woman who washed his feet with her tears (Luke 7: 36-50) it is easy to understand the reaction of those involved. This woman, identified only as the sinful woman, received the opportunity of forgiveness, which produced in her an enormous feeling of love and gratitude. She clearly understood that without the mediation of the Son of God her life of sin made her deserving of the just punishment from God.
Simon’s reaction was different. The Pharisees were part of the religious leadership: those who knew God and the law. If they had something to repent from it was little compared to this sinful woman. In their perception, they did not need someone to save them from their condition. They had little or nothing to be forgiven and thus loved little.
Only the offended party can define what is offensive. Only God can define what requires forgiveness.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23
Even if we have lived without hurting anyone, no matter how good a person we consider ourselves to be, we have all sinned against God. We are sinners.
Has God had to forgive you little? We do not have to sin at the same level as the ‘sinful woman’ to be part of the group to which the Bible calls ‘all‘. You also fall short of the glory of God.
Large or small, much or little, the result of sin is so serious that it separates us from God’s presence forever. We can be delivered from such condition through faith in Jesus. That is what I call ‘having been forgiven much’.
Oh God, help me to love you with the same intention and passion of those who recognize that they have been forgiven much!
Comments
How much have you been forgiven? — No Comments
HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>