Finding Ourselves in Scripture, Part 3: Falling in Love with Jesus

A colleague of ours in Bangkok works closely with trafficked women, helping to rescue those who are working against their will as well as inviting women who are working voluntarily to choose a better way. Every day she offers the grace and love of Jesus to those who have never experienced grace and love. Recently, she shared this story:

A call came to assist a young Central Asian woman. A client had become an abusive and controlling boyfriend dependent on her money for his drug habit. In spite of several attempts to break away, she remained in bondage to him. This year, she finally made her break, and this young woman has found Jesus – or rather, He first found her. He came to her twice when she was running from violence and comforted her. After coming to NightLight, she discovered who He is and chose to give her life to him. In her words, “I fell in love with him!”

It is this “falling in love with Jesus” that we see in Luke 7:36-50, the story of Jesus being anointed by a “sinful woman.” As I’ve mentioned before in my first two posts on praying with imagination (FindingOurselves in Scripture, Part 1: Just One of the Crowd? and Finding Ourselves inScripture, Part 2: Getting Out of the Boat), I have found great meaning in approaching the scriptures as a story into which I attempt to place myself. But I admit I felt somewhat puzzled as I delved into this Luke passage several months ago.

This story is a familiar one (or if it isn't, take just a moment and read the story in Luke 7:36-50 here), but it’s difficult to place yourself in a story when you suddenly realize you don’t understand what is going on.

Here sits Simon the Pharisee reclining at his dinner table with Jesus and other guests, when this “sinful woman” appears out of nowhere and starts crying over Jesus’ feet, washing them and anointing him with perfume. Now, her actions are not what has me stumped. I get that kind of regret, that kind of begging for forgiveness, that kind of love and thankfulness.

What I don’t get is Simon. He’s sitting there thinking, “If only Jesus knew what this woman was really like, he’d never allow this,” and I’m sitting here thinking, “Why hasn’t Simon kicked this woman out of his house? How did she get in in the first place?”

The NIV Study Bible guys have speculated that Simon invited Jesus to his house in order to trick him in some way. That’s understandable, as it wouldn’t be the first time we see this kind of activity among the Pharisees. But it seems to me that Jesus always called out that kind of behavior when he saw it. Here, Jesus goes willingly to Simon’s house to eat with him. This strikes me perhaps as more of a Nicodemus type of relationship, or if not completely there, at least Simon is listening and trying to figure Jesus out before completely condemning him.

So did Simon let this woman in just to see what Jesus would do? It is interesting to me that Jesus says to Simon, “I have something to tell you,” and Simon replies, “Go ahead.” And as I try to place myself in this story, this is where I begin to realize that I am Simon. 

I would never have said at the beginning that I am the Pharisee in this story, because I refuse to condemn this woman (and anyway, who wants to admit they are a Pharisee?). But then again, Simon doesn’t seem to completely condemn her either. I’m not sure he knows what to do with her. He allows her to be there. He allows her to interact with Jesus, although he thinks Jesus is getting the short end of the stick. I also see myself in Simon in the willingness to allow Jesus to speak. I want to know what Jesus has to say. And Simon calls Jesus “teacher,” implying that he knows he can learn something from Jesus.

And then Jesus tells Simon the story, and I realize that I am the one who has been forgiven 50 denarii, like Simon. I’m thankful the debt was paid. But I don’t understand what it is like to owe 500 denarii, so I am not as thankful as this woman is. 

And then I also realize that, like Simon, I have taken Jesus for granted. I have not shown him the care and respect he deserves, because I am used to him. I have forgotten how to be thankful that he paid my debt, because it was a small debt and it was such a long time ago (no, it wasn’t, it is a daily debt, I know…but so easy to overlook). Because of that, I don’t show Jesus great love. I show him a little love. 

But I want to be like the woman - because the truth is, all of our debt is great. Not a single denarii of it could be paid by me, and that is all it would take for the moneylender to throw me in the street. My debt actually is very great, and I must remember this. If I do, then I will be much less likely to judge the woman as Simon did.

I want my reaction to be, “Come and see! I was forgiven a great debt, and you can be, too! It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been. Come to Jesus!” rather than sitting by, wondering at the thankfulness of others. Maybe this realization of the great debt we owe can be the first step toward truly falling in love with Jesus.