For She Loved Much

As the Lord prepared to enter Jerusalem for the last time, He stopped to eat with a Pharisee named Simon. During dinner a woman came in and began washing His feet. Simon was embarrassed by her presence, but the Lord taught:

“There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” (Luke 7:41-45, 47)

May we always remember that we are each debtors to a loving Father and that in the economy of heaven those who love most are often those who recognize more fully their need for God’s gift of forgiveness.