17 Nov She Loved Much

I have lots of favorite Bible verses, but one stands out first in my mind and heart from the story of Jesus and a sinful woman in chapter 7 of Luke’s Gospel. I’m choked up even writing these words, “Jesus said, ‘Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

This is the story of a woman who is only known by 2 things: her sinful life, and her wholehearted devotion to Jesus that compelled her to shed her shame, gather her courage and walk boldly, uninvited, into the “boys club” and commit the most audacious act of love. Taking the costliest thing she owned— an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, she knelt at Jesus’ feet weeping; a flood of tears ran down her cheeks wetting his feet as she wiped them with her hair, kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume.

She was ridiculed for doing so, and Jesus was ridiculed for allowing her to. But he silenced the critics while never taking his eyes off of her, telling her, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This is my story and maybe it’s yours, too. I relate to this woman’s sinfulness and her tears of love for the One who set her free. I recall opening my own alabaster jar; pouring out my heart, crying to Jesus, “I give up!” and then being compelled by the Holy Spirit to devote my life to Christ’s service. But serving Jesus has not been the costliest thing for me. My sin was costly; costly to hold onto; costly to let go of because it was costly to him.

What’s the costliest thing you have? Your sin and shame, your past, your hurts? We don’t often think of those things as being an expensive sacrifice. But remember that Jesus became a sacrifice for us on the altar of the Cross of Calvary where every sin of yours and mine was laid on him.

Have you poured out the contents of your “alabaster jar” on Jesus? Have you given him all your sin and shame, laying it down on the altar of sacrifice?

There’s nothing more beautiful than to give Jesus the thing he came to die for: your sin. And when you do, you’ll be free; free to love with a big, bold, audacious love because you, too, will realize that your many sins have been forgiven.

I love y’all!
xo – P♥️