He invited Jesus to dinner, not recognizing who his dinner guest really was.
She was uninvited but went to the dinner anyway to worship and honor the One who had the power to save her soul.
Both had been blind
Simon, the Pharisee, was blind due to his pride.
The woman cleaning Jesus’s feet was at one time blind to the sin of her flesh.
Both were looking for the Savior…only one saw Him.
Simon, the Pharisee, thought he knew what to be looking for.
He had the list of qualifications memorized so he would be quick to spot him…the Chosen One… the long-awaited Messiah.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2).
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5–6).
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).
And yet, years passed, and still no arrival.
Then one day, an ordinary man arrives. This man does some of the items on Simon’s memorized list but surely this isn’t the man his people have been waiting for, for so many years. This man was well…disappointingly ordinary.
She, on the other hand, had no memorized list. In her brokenness, she knew what she needed and she knew what she was…..a sinner in need of a Savior.
She recognized who Jesus was because she saw Him through eyes of faith.
One man had no love in his heart, the other man’s heart was full of love.
One man held contempt for her when he looked upon her, the other had compassion.
The condition of our hearts affects how we see each other.
The condition of our hearts affects how we see God, too.
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
Simon, the Pharisee, looked like he had his life altogether. He looked the part, heck he played the part. But the outside of his life did not reflect the inside of his heart.
She, on the other hand, looked nothing like a woman with a pure heart. When others looked at her, the word “pure” would not be the first word that would come to their minds…except for Jesus.
God looks at the heart, not the outer appearance. 1 Samuel 16:7
Maybe you, like me, want to see Jesus a little more clearly these days…together let’s approach our Savior with pure hearts by casting aside our pride, our sins, our qualification lists and embrace who Jesus is, how He came and the amazing work He has done on our behalf.
Jesus is the only one who can purify our sin-stained hearts. May we all approach Him like the broken woman in Luke 7 ….with tears of gratitude for His extravagant love, grace, and redemption. Only then will we truly be able to see Jesus for who He is…our loving, compassionate Redeemer.
Dear Lord, create in me a pure heart and break my heart for what breaks Yours. Open my eyes so that I can see the world and my sin the way that You do. Help me to see You more clearly in my life and love others the way You call me to. I surrender my life, my will…everything to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Love God Greatly
Week 4 Challenge: Being pure in heart begins with repentance. What hinders your growth as a Christian? What do you love more than God? Come before the Lord and honestly confess the reasons why you are not pure in your love toward Him. Cry out to God for help and seek a renewed fire in your heart for Him.
Reading Plan
Memory Plan
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Before I start any study I ask for the help before I study or pray or do anything I ask for the HOLY SPIRITS help…really makes a difference in how I think, what I do, even sometimes and how I see GOD! I love what Charles Spurgeon said once: He is no Christian who does not seek to serve his God the very motto of the Christian should be “I serve!” This should be the Spirit in which we share our faith!
Very wonderful thoughts. Thank you for sharing with us.