Luke 7:37-39 KJV And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

In my lifetime, I’ve seen a lot of things change. Some of the changes I have enjoyed and embraced, and others I have not been nearly so happy about. But one thing I have noticed about life is change is inevitable. Many of us would agree that we don’t like change, especially if it involves altering our habits and attitudes.

That’s one reason Jesus was so unpopular among the Pharisees. He challenged their long-established system of good works and self-righteous living. Think with me for just a minute about the incident when the known “sinner” enters the house of the town “saint”. Simon the Pharisee wasn’t impressed with the woman’s lavish display of affection for Jesus, nor was he happy that she had shown up and disrupted his party.

Jesus sensing Simon’s self-righteous thoughts immediately challenged his perception of being too good for such a sinful person to be in his presence. Jesus began to tell the story of the two debtors, one who owed much and one who owed less. Jesus asked Simon to answer which one would love the master more, the one who was forgiven much or the one who was forgiven less? The obvious answer was the one who owed much. Jesus then tells Simon “but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”

To me the challenge is straight forward, we should not get caught up into thinking we are better than we really are. If this happens, and I believe we are all guilty of this, our love for Jesus fades because we have forgotten that we are to be counted among the ones who have been “forgiven much”! The moment we sense this, it is time for us to change our attitude and our thoughts to be in line with the One who forgave so much in us. Sometimes change is necessary.