And as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. (Luke
7:38)
MARAGRET MITCHELL received more than twenty-five rejection letters before she found a publisher for Gone with the Wind. Even though she risked rejection each time, she kept submitting because she longed to join the ranks of published authors.
The woman in today’s Scripture reading longed to join the ranks of Jesus’ followers. She wanted to belong. Recognizing that she was a sinner, she came to Jesus humbly, wetting His feet with her tears. The Bible doesn’t tell us the nature of her sinful life, but she was probably used to rejection. Even the host at the dinner rejected her. But Jesus didn’t. He doesn’t reject anyone who repents and comes to Him in faith.
That’s why Jesus accepted the sinful woman. Her tears showed that she recognized her unworthiness, and her act of wetting His feet and wiping them with her hair showed her repentance. She knew she was a sinner in need of a Savior, and her faith brought her to Jesus.
We are all sinners in need of a Savior. If we come before Him humbly, repenting of our sins and asking in faith for His forgiveness, we will hear the same words that must have thrilled the heart of the sinful woman: “Your sins are forgiven” (v. 48) and “Your faith has saved you” (v. 50). What wonderful assurance.
Come to God humbly and thank Him for His saving grace.
Kathryn Page Camp enjoys photography, reading, and sailing Lake Michigan with her husband of thirty-five years.
