The story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears has always touched me. It is a comfort to know that God always sees us for who we can be, and not see all of the brokenness in us. He knows if we will just trust Him, and obey Him, that we will have peace like we've never imagined.
When I think about this story, it brings me such comfort. After all, if Jesus can forgive a woman that everyone considered to be such a great sinner, then there is hope for us all, right? Of course!
The Pharisees could not understand why Jesus let this woman touch His feet, and questioned Him in being a prophet. Jesus knew who this woman was, and what she had done, but He also knew her heart.
I think about how that woman must have felt. Everyone knew her sins, and yet still she sought Jesus and His forgiveness. What drew her to go to Him, when everyone else judged her greatly, what made her go to Jesus without fear? Love, Jesus' unconditional love.
We all find it hard to forgive people that do things that hurt or upset us, or even do things that we don't understand or agree with, but if we have Jesus' loving attitude, we can help heal those hurting hearts, rather than allow them to fester in their agony. Jesus came to give life, and giving life to someone that is oppressed, by others or their own sins, has a power that can not be matched!
The woman was so remorseful and so thankful to Jesus, that she washed His feet with the tears that streamed down her face. How resourceful this woman was! How many times I have sat crying because I had done something I wish I hadn't, or felt condemned and paralyzed by my own actions, when I could have used my tears for His good. I learn a lot from this woman's actions, she took the pain of her actions, and used it to glorify God. Perhaps we cannot understand how much this might have meant, but in those days, washing of someone's feet was an act of love, and she truly loved Jesus.
Jesus explained to the Pharisees why He allowed her to wash His feet, and pour perfume on them. She had many sins, but she was so grateful for His forgiveness and chance to redeem her life, that she poured her tears out of her heart, and used them for His good. When many sins are forgiven, the heart loves greatly, and I imagine when she left Jesus that day, everyone who saw her noticed the difference!
We are to mimic Jesus and try to live a life of love, as He showed us. Showing love to those that are caught in sin is the ONE powerful way to bring them to God. Jesus showed love to everyone, and without love we can do nothing. I think sometimes we feel like we can't love a sinner, because of their actions, but in reality, we are just forgetting the most powerful gift God has given us, love.
We are all sinners, there is not one of us that doesn't sin, and we must show love to one another. Love covers a multitude of sins, and just like Jesus showed that woman mercy, we are instructed to show mercy to others as well.
When sin floods your life, and you feel you cannot take the shame or the pain, just turn to Jesus, and ask Him, what might I do with these tears, to honor You, Lord? Jesus died to take the condemnation away, He gave nothing but love to us to show us the way, and He will never leave us, no matter how many people try to shame us, He is on our side.
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