James preached on Luke 7:36-50 today. What stood out to me was this woman’s extreme response. She responds with extreme emotion, as James pointed out, she was weeping hard enough to wash Jesus’ feet with tears. But, she also responds to Him with radical actions. This shows me that she recognized what Jesus can/does do for her, and she is willing to express her appreciation with radical response. Do you recognize the true gravity of what Jesus has done for you? What is your response? Here are a couple observations about her response that maybe you could apply to your life.
The passage says, “Then she knelt behind him at his feet (he would have been laying at a table with his feed out bahind), weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” (NLT)
She wiped His feet with her hair. She served Jesus. She met a very practical need in a very extraordinary way. She served Him, even to her own degradation. Could you imagine getting the filth of somebody’s dirty feet in your hair? She was willing to make an extreme sacrifice to serve Jesus. Are you willing to make sacrifices to serve your Lord?
She was kissing His feet. She shows Jesus affection. Again, she so wants to show the extremety of her affection, that she even does it to her own degradation… kissing his feet. Do you show tremendous affection for your Lord? Do you even spend regular time with Him?
She anointed His feet with perfume. She made a financial sacrifice. James said the likelihood is that this perfume was worth an average person’s wages for a year. She seems to have recognized that what He had to give her was far more valuable than anything she could earn. Are you willing to make financial sacrifices to give to causes that are close to the Lord's heart (or do you just drop out an milliliter here and there)?
If you aren’t serving Him sacrificially, showing Him tremendous affection, and willing to give generously for His kingdom… do you fully realize the gravity of what He has done for you on the cross, which brings you into a reconciled relationship with God, eternally? If this has made you feel guilty, that is not its purpose. Don’t feel guilty. Even if you just now realize the gravity of what He has done for you, start showing Him your appreciation now. It contributes nothing to your salvation. It is your way of showing your appreciation for the salvation He gives you as a free gift. If you don’t realize the gravity of it, let me suggest, that should be your consuming pursuit, until it brings you to your knees weeping, and willing to do anything for Him.
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