Read: Luke 7:36-50
Standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. (v. 38)
When was the last time you felt great remorse over your sins? It’s so easy for us to simply live with our disobedience, casually asking for forgiveness and resuming our normal way of life. But there are moments when God’s Spirit reminds us of the gravity of our sins, causing us to weep in contrition and repentance. Thank God that he moves us to truly confess and repent, offering us forgiveness and grace.
The woman in today’s reading is unnamed, but we know several important things about her. First of all, she was a sinner—a well-known sinner, it seems, because Simon the Pharisee recognized her as such. She made a spectacle of herself before Simon’s guests, and she didn’t care. She came to honor and worship Jesus, even if it opened her up to ridicule and judgment. We know this woman had faith in the Savior, because Jesus revealed that her faith had saved her (v. 50). Also, we know that her actions—washing Jesus’s feet and anointing them with oil—were done because she loved Jesus; in fact, “she loved much” (v. 47). Grief over her sin led to repentance; repentance led to forgiveness, and forgiveness led to love.
There are some things that should sadden us—some things it is right to grieve. God is close to those who are broken by remorse over sin, and he forgives those who seek him in repentance and faith.
As you pray, thank God for the conviction that leads to repentance.
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian school teacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
