Good
Monday morning (7-26-10),
If I’d been alive during the days when
He walked the streets of
In this chapter Jesus was apparently invited to this religious man’s house to eat, and while he was eating, a woman, whom the Bible calls a “sinner,” began to touch the feet of Jesus as she wiped her tears from His feet.
I marvel that this sinner was in Simon’s house in the first place, maybe she was server of the food, I can’t imagine that this man had an open-door policy, allowing anyone from the streets to come in when he was feeding distinguished guests. That aside, one way or another, this woman had made her way into that house and was breaking decorum as she washed Jesus’ feet with both ointment and tears.
Scandalous!
Jesus could tell that Simon was very indignant at His behavior towards the woman, as Simon thought within himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner.” The mood around that table must have been anything but relaxed as Jesus began to rebuke Simon for his lack of love for others. Simon either did not understand or had forgotten all that God have forgiven him of.
On the other hand, Jesus also ate at the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Jesus, “Loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” In this house, Jesus must have felt comfortable and very much enjoyed His meals and conversations. I can imagine that these three, who were siblings, lived in a modest house, not having the best of education, or the best of anything else for that matter. And they were sinners.
There is a scripture –Psalms 18:25-27—which says, “With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. For You will save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.”
Jesus certainly did bring down the high look, the pride of the Pharisees, but He was so eager to encourage the afflicted Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. God saves the afflicted. But to the froward (those who are obstinate, unwilling to do what is necessary or reasonable) God also shows Himself unwilling. Simon was a froward man.
If Jesus did show up at one of my dinner parties, He would not at all be impressed by my knowledge or abilities. Or especially my spirituality! It’s not that knowledge or abilities or spirituality is bad, it’s just that trying to impress Jesus with these things would fall dead at His feet. I suppose that that’s exactly what that Pharisee was doing, trying to match his whit with the Son of God, trying to impress Jesus with his own holiness and high moral standards.
Spiritual know-it-alls had bad table manners around Jesus, and He let them know it too.
However, Jesus seemed very relaxed when He ate with those who knew they had nothing to offer Him, other than their love and devotion. In Lazarus’s house this was evident.
Mary was visiting with Jesus instead of helping fix the meal He and others would soon eat. “Lord,” Martha said, “Do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.” To this Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
If Jesus came to my house to eat, I’ve often wondered, like Simon and Martha, would I spoil the atmosphere by being, “Careful and troubled about many things.”? Would doctrine, and my perceptions of good and evil, or my input and ideas of how better things could be run, draw a rebuke from Jesus?
There is a time to serve, but being cumbered about with much service and many opinions will trash the pleasure of just sitting at His feet, or showing, as that sinner woman did, our deepest love and appreciation for the immeasurable grace given to us by God.
I encourage you. Like I am doing, ask your self this question, “How comfortable would Jesus be if He were to eat supper at my house?” Would pride in my knowledge of all things religion create a froward atmosphere? Would my careful and troubled heart ruin a perfect evening with Jesus?
What I need to learn, and live by, is the simplicity which Mary possessed. A simplicity which so captured the heart of the Son of God that He called her a good friend, seeking out her house for a time of His own spiritual rest and relaxation.
Wayne
Witcher
Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20