There is a story in Luke 7 about when Jesus went to dine with a Pharisee named Simon. The story is in verses 36-42
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 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. 38 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.
39 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.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 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?”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 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?”
This woman was criticized for loving Jesus through a gift of her tears and anointing. Simon himself did not display even the common signs of respect of the day to Jesus. He did not welcome Jesus or give him a chance to wash his feet. Yet, the woman washed his feet with her tears and her hair. This woman had experienced the reality of Jesus forgiveness. So overwhelmed by this gift of mercy that she wanted to show her appreciate and love. She realized from the depth of her soul that she did not deserve it. Her love showed itself by its actions. Simon's lack of love also showed itself by a lack of action.
The problem with the Pharisee was not that he was following the law, but rather he was doing so without love. If you think about what scripture describes what Pharisees are like you may use many words, but most likely love is not one of them. And 1 Corinthians 13 is very clear that we can do all things right, become a martyr for Christ, give all our money away to the poor, but if we have not love then we are nothing but a noisy gong or meaningless noise.
In another place in scripture, Jesus is asked what is the most important commandment. He says that it can be summed up by loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and then loving our neighbor. As I think about this and the actions of the woman who interrupted the meal at Simon's house I ask myself the question "How does my love for God show itself?" In what sense does it demonstrate itself in gratitude for what God has forgiven me. It clearly is and was a debt that I could never repay. If you were on trial and evidence had to be brought forward in a witness box that showed others how much you love God and others would there be enough evidence to convict you? Are you more like Simon or more like the woman at Jesus' feet? I fear that there are many times when I more closely resemble Simon and fall short. I'm thankful that God then does not treat me as I deserve, but has mercy and patience with me. For like the disciples, I am slow to learn.
"In direct proportion to your acceptance of God's forgiveness is your ability to forgive." Harold Wiley Freer in "Growing in the Life of Prayer" page 85
