Journal 01-07-09

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Luke 7:47

Jesus was sitting in the house of a Pharisee having dinner. Dinner was interrupted by a woman who came and anointed Jesus feet. She was obviously a woman of bad reputation in the town. Those around the table began to judge her and Jesus. They felt that if He really were a man of God that He would have known what kind of woman she was.

He in fact did know what kind of woman she was. The error truly made by the people around the table was this. They failed to anticipate how Jesus would treat a sinner. They assumed that He would treat them in the same manner that they themselves had been treating them. Instead He loved this woman and honored her for her repentance and her worship.

I want to strive to treat those outside the family the same way that Jesus treated them. I pray that I never get infected with the religious virus that so many people seem to get after God straightens out their lives. For some reason, they feel that now they are in a position to condemn others.

Lord, I thank You today for Your heart! I thank you that you love sinners and want to see them restored. As I have been a recipient of this grace, I want to share it with others. Guard my heart Lord from ever feeling that I have the right to condemn others!