By Invitation Only

Luke 7:36 - 8:3

I have to admire this woman for her boldness.

I picture Simon the Pharisee's home, the warm lamp-light shining through the windows, and standing near, feeling very much an outsider, this woman looking in at a place she was not invited.

She knows that her Lord is inside, and she probably imagines that Jesus is among his kind, in a place he belongs, discussing all the important philosophical questions.

But she knows that Jesus isn't like the Pharisees. She knows that he is different. And though bursting in on this scene, interrupting this important dinner with important men, is sure to bring her nothing but scorn, she is compelled to do it.

Had she not taken it upon herself to boldly approach Jesus, who would have invited her in?

What kind of barriers do we put in place that keep seekers from getting to Jesus? Do we sit behind a wall of social status that makes the outsiders feel uninvited?

I suspect this dinner gathering wasn't as warm and friendly as it might have appeared from the outside. The Pharisees weren't so sure about Jesus. And while Simon may have been genuinely open to hearing what Jesus had to say, he retreated behind his barrier of pride as soon as this woman burst onto the scene.

Jesus, he reasoned, must not be much of a prophet if he doesn't know that this woman is a sinner. Jesus' status was certainly decreased in Simon's eyes.

Jesus says that this woman loved much because she had been forgiven much. But those who are forgiven little, love little.

We love little when we are unaware of our status. We imagine our status to be one of righteousness, but our status is exactly the same as this woman's. We sin much, and we have been forgiven much.

When we begin to understand this, when we finally become aware of our true status -- the status we all share -- we will love Jesus very much.

We are all outsiders. But we are not uninvited.


Drew Clausen