CONNECTING POINT: The Aroma of Forgiveness

Have you ever been in a setting and observed the difference between an individual’s sincere emotion and pseudo-emotion? We all must be cautious about “reading” people because sometimes our take may be off; however, there are moments when we can truly “read the room.”

This occurs in Luke 7 when Jesus is invited to Simon the Pharisee’s home. Jesus had an ability, unlike others, to understand the intentions of the heart. Simon was a cold-hearted keeper of the law, evident by his hidden motives towards the sincere woman washing Jesus’ feet. This isn’t the only time Jesus “read the room.” He did this on many other occurrences seen in the Bible. To clarify His point, Jesus used a simple illustration: two individuals owe money to a lender, one a small amount, the other 10x more. Both are forgiven their debt. Jesus asks Simon, “Who loved and appreciated this more?” Simon was caught in his pride; he had the proverbial lump in his throat at that moment. He also understood what Jesus was saying and probably didn’t like it. “I suppose…the debtor with the bigger debt loved more,” he sheepishly responded.

“Then He [Jesus] turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’” (Luke 7:44-47).

Let me ask you a fitting question: Why did this woman show up at a dinner party, knowing she could be ridiculed and sent away because of her past, with an alabaster jar of perfume? I would say with almost certainty that she came with that perfume, looking for an opportunity to lavish her love on Christ. Her heart was pliable and tender, after years of searching for love and purpose only to see that dashed away with each client that took advantage of her. And in that vacuum, the grace of God was being poured into her soul. This alabaster jar of perfume was just the tip of her admiration and love for Jesus.

Scholars believe this perfume was worth a year’s wage. That’s quite a sacrifice, right?

On the other hand, Simon’s motivations were darker. Like many Pharisees or Sadducees, he played a “religious” role in their fine-dressed robes, which were insincere. Jesus addressed this attitude of showmanship on several occasions, even more directly than the debtor’s scenario in Luke 7. In Matthew 23:5, Jesus states that the religious robes of the Pharisees were intended to appease people, which was showmanship.

In Luke 18:9-12 Jesus described how the Pharisees would pray out loud about how good they were in comparison to rotten sinners like robbers, tax collectors, and yes, even adulterers.

Jesus emphasizes that sincere, honest motivation of the heart is more valued than phony showmanship or theater. There is hope for a sincere prostitute, even hope for a repentant Pharisee. The aroma was evident when this woman poured that expensive, fragrant perfume on Jesus. However, only one person walked away experiencing the life-giving message of Jesus. Who was it? Manufactured praise can never compare to sincere sacrificial praise.