Dump

Two weeks ago in Bible Study we talked about Luke 7:36-50 which is "A Sinful Woman Forgiven." I have been chewing on this passage for two weeks now. I am still trying to understand how God is speaking to me. The one question that keeps coming in my mind is

"Are you dumping your faith?"

Let me explain. Not dumping as in ditching, but dumping as pouring. This is a beautiful passage about a woman who ventures into a Pharisee's house who happens to be serving Christ dinner. Except that Pharisee isn't really serving Christ. He didn't wash his feet when He came in, he didn't give Him the custom kiss of greeting, nor did he anoint Christ with oil on His forehead. The funny thing is, the Pharisee calls Jesus "teacher" when Jesus addresses the comments made about the "sinful" woman. The Pharisee (named Simon) would not usually have any contact with sinners and was abhorred that this woman was there at the feet of Jesus and abhorred that Jesus would have contact with such a sinful person. Apparently the woman had a reputation.

This woman is brave. She enters a house where she is not welcome. She knows there could be consequences. She also knows that Jesus is there. Jesus has not yet claimed to be the Christ, Son of God. She comes in, kisses and wets His feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, and dumps a an alabaster jar of ointment on His feet. The jar of alabaster ointment was probably the most expensive thing she owned. She never says anything to Christ, never asks for forgiveness, never verbally repents of any sin, never asks for salvation. She doesn't have to.

Jesus looks at her the whole time He is addressing Simon's thoughts. I wonder what His face looked like as He looked at her. He tells her that her sins are forgiven and that her faith has saved her. I wonder what the woman's face looked like when He said that. I wonder what Simon's face looked like when He said that.

I wondered if I could have been like the woman who was the "sinner."
I wondered if I could have been like the Pharisee named Simon.

Regardless, both desperately needed Christ.

So I have been thinking for two weeks now if I dump my faith out at the feet of Jesus? Do I dump my faith out as a testimony to others? Do I dump my faith out on others? Or do I live in my own dump?

I love that God continuously shows me where I am at, and where I need to go, and where I need to be. I love that the woman never had to say anything to Jesus and that He didn't have to say anything for her to know that He was the Christ. I love that she showed that her faith was her most prized possession by giving her most prized possession. I love that she wasn't afraid to dump herself out. I love that she was redeemed before Christ died on the cross. I love that God used a sinful woman to teach a Pharisee of his sin. I love that I don't have to worry if whether or not I would have been the woman or the Pharisee,
because I am already redeemed by The Christ, The Son of God.

May we dump ourselves at the feet of Christ, kiss His feet, cry over our sin, and surrender our faith to Him.

"And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." v. 48
"And then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." v. 50