The Value of Forgiveness

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver^[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other.  But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said.   Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.  You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”  Luke 7:41-48

I went to visit my Dad’s alma mater the other day in Virginia.  My Dad passed away almost nine years ago, and it was a chance to visit the halls that he walked through over seventy years ago.  We stopped for a moment to allow for my daughter to use the rest room.  The building had about eight different doors at the front, and all were locked.  Fortunately at the last door, a lady was kind enough to let her in.  It was at that final door that I would find something beyond special.  Engraved in the glass next to the door was a list of donors who contributed to the building.  One of those names listed was my father.  Although I knew he contributed greatly to the university, I had never knew there was anything noting his contributions.  It was a humbling experience to have seen something he himself had not lived long enough to see.  Others may not have ever known what he did or how great a man he was.  But I do because I know all that he did especially for me, and that made it all the more valuable.

This story brings me to the topic of understanding the value of God's forgiveness for our sins.  One cannot truly love God without acknowledging how valued His sacrifice for us was.  The story in today’s verses has me focused on the woman at Jesus’ feet.  Prior to these verses, it said, “(S)he knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” (Luke 7:38)  To truly value what was happening, imagine yourself before Jesus knowing your wrongdoings and being unable to hide from them.  Could you hold yourself together and stand strong, or would you find yourself much like this ‘certain immoral woman’ weeping uncontrollably?  Her tears were so great she had washed Jesus’ feet with them.  That’s some serious crying!  And Jesus, while acknowledging her sins were many, showered her with forgiveness.  We know we fall short of God’s glory, and we are born again through Christ.  But our greatest capacity to love Him falls on acknowledging how flawed we are without Him.  Let me say it another way.  If we cannot understand how flawed we are, we cannot fully love God because we will never value our forgiveness as much as one who sees themselves as tragically flawed.  This is the lesson Jesus is trying to teach.  We may be great followers of Christ in theory.  But for those without hope and love and who God has come and given them a new life through Jesus Christ, the value of His forgiveness is priceless.

We are all valued by God.  Seeing someone’s love for Christ does not make their love better or worse.  It does give us an opportunity to check where we are in our own walk for if we sense our love for God is not as great as it should, then our value system may need restructuring.  If it does, understand God loves us enough to guide and forgive as we forge a stronger and more fulfilling relationship with Him.  How can you reveal yourself to God with all of your flaws?  Will you value His forgiveness now more than ever today?  My prayer is that we seek to gain greater love for God by fully valuing His forgiveness.  Amen.