Anointing His Feet
36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him.”
40 Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Oh? Tell me.”
41-42 “Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?”
43-47 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.”
“That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
48 Then he spoke to her: “I forgive your sins.”
49 That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: “Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!”
50 He ignored them and said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
she didn't come to correct even when there were obvious issues and needs ( not to say there is not a time to speak the truth in love to help another)
but on this occaision
quite possibly she never spoke at all
if she did, her words are nor recorded for us
just her actions
She saw only one person in that whole full room
she came to pour out on Christ
it came with a breaking
an irrevocable breaking (other translations state the jar of perfume had to be broken to release the perfume)
but then the smell of the perfume broke upon the scene
wafting gently through the air
carried to every hidden corner
every nook and cranny
filling the house
anoiting all who were present
affecting all who were nearby
none could avoid it
all in proximity were affected
some for the better
some for the worse
but none were the same
this passage from 1Peter 2: 21- 3:4 is complex and easily misunderstood but I believe it shows one thing clearly
I can have a powerful affect on others
even difficult others
by focusing on Jesus
on how he lived, responded and interfaced with our suffering, our need
1 Peter 2:21-3:6The Message (MSG)
21-25 This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
Cultivate Inner Beauty
3 1-4 The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition.
4-6 Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as “my dear husband.” You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Petersonseeing his love,
his humility
his care
his selflessness
it changes me
it draws my heart to his beauty
all else fades into the background (see note below)
seeing him changes me
as I change - the aroma of his sweet love can spread from me
this person in front of me
who ever it may be
with all their complexity
with all thier difficulty
and difficultness
is really just the opportunity Jesus is giving
to pour out
not even my own perfume
but the most expensive
the most lovely and beautiful aroma there is
sweet Jesus
showing mercy with cheerfulness
showing care and bringing hope
patient and kind and strong as steel
firm and unchanging and brave
yet gentle and kind and tender
sometimes I feel so frustrated
so helpless
there is so little one can do to really change circumstances or another person
even one's own self
difficult and challenging relationships and situations
I am so glad he does not say it is simple
or a quick and easy fix in three steps
He of all most knows that relationships are difficult
painful
even bloody and cruel
it was so for him
to the extreme
but it is not really about that other person at all
it is about you
they don't deserve _______ !
I don't deserve _________ !
I can't love them with what they need
they can't love me with what I need
we all need you, sweet Jesus
I cannot choose for another
I cannot change another
I can only choose to come to you, sweet Jesus
and pour out my soul to you
all my longings and despair
all my passion and desire
all my words
all my heart
all my tears
you listen
you care
you understand
you empathize
you do not excuse
you do not minimize
dismiss or make light of any of it
You know what it is to be human, fully human with all its confusion and complexity
You cool my burning
You soothe my wounds
You calm my mind
You comfort my heart
You bring new life
new hope
new love
forgivenes and the opportunity
to begin again
we pour out on you by pouring out your love on those who are in front of us
to love the one God has put in front of me
this is how I pour out love on you
it has an effect
Ephesians 5:1-2New King James Version (NKJV)
Walk in Love
5 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15The Message (MSG)
In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life.
a perpetual victory parade not because it all goes the way I want it toor I do everything right
but because I am seeing you in all your beauty
I am inhaling your life changing chemistry
we love because you have first loved us
(NOTE - if you think you might be in an abusive or unsafe relationship - please be honest and admit this is a possibilty and get help. Find a counselor, neighbor, friend, family member to help you be safe.)
(Second note - The passage in 1 Peter 3:1-6 is focusing on the relatinship between wives and husbands, I believe the same overall principle applies to any relationship - as I change through my relationship with Jesus Christ, it affects how I view and interact with others in any relationship because I am an active ingredient in this relationship!
Reading your words on a quiet Sabbath morning, I am refreshed. Thank you Susan. It's great to meet you at the feet of Jesus!! Yes, we need his fragrance, cannot make our own. This was so encouraging.
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