“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””Luke 7:47 ESV
Reflection: how would you describe the experience of being forgiven?
Perhaps the two biggest keys to a long term relationship is honesty and forgiveness. I mean, if you think about it, without those two, one could question whether there is a true relationship. Now, to begin with, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we are not perfect and at times hurt even our best friends. This can obviously be a huge range of things, from minor to complete breakdown of trust, done unintentionally to intentionally. Regardless,
if you realize you have done this,
it is like a huge burden, a weight you are carrying around. UnitAnd the only way to keep the friendship, the relationship, is through honesty and forgiveness. But once you have gone through that, talked it honestly and openly out, and been forgiven, the huge burden, the weight has been lifted.
You might have experienced someone saying they are sorry, but you can tell they are completely insincere. It’s just words they say, because in their hearts they did not think they did anything wrong. Or it was petty in their mind. In this case, there really isn’t anything to forgive, right? Because they really aren’t carrying this burden of guilt around.
On the other hand, you might have also experienced that a sincere apology might not even need any words spoken at all. You can just look at a someone who is fully aware of their guilt, and you know. You know that they know. You can feel their sincerity, their honesty about the burden they are carrying. And your forgiveness lifts that burden off their shoulders, and heals the relationship.
It is the awareness and knowledge of sin, and the experience of forgiveness.
In Luke 7:36-50 we find a very powerful story about sin and forgiveness. I highly recommend spending some time today studying this story. A woman who lived a sinful life (Luke doesn’t give specifics), comes to the dinner party where Jesus has been invited by Pharisee as a guest. And she makes her way to the table, to Jesus, “and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.” Luke 7:38 ESV
Now, the Pharisee is not only looking down at this woman and her sinful life, but also mocking Jesus for letting her even touch him (but since the woman was let into the house, it might not be the first time she was there). Jesus tells him “Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.” Luke 7:44-46 ESV. ESV “And he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””
Luke 7:50 ESV. Notice that she didn’t ask for forgiveness by words. No it was by her actions, her repentance and love coming from her heart. She knew her sin, she didn’t try to excuse or hide it. “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””Luke 7:47 ESV she received forgiveness. Her burden was lifted, and her relationship with God restored.