DEVOTION – DAY 250

Luke 7:37-39 “Looking At People Through Compassionate Eyes”

 

Luke 7:37-39 “A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then, she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.”

 

This passage recorded an incident in Simon, the Pharisee’s house. Simon had invited Jesus to his house for dinner as his guest of honor. When Jesus was at the dinner, an uninvited woman gatecrashed the dinner. She was a woman known for her immorality and would have been treated as an outcast. She made an inappropriate scene by kissing Jesus’ feet and shedding her tears on His feet and wiping the wet feet with her hair. She begged Jesus to forgive her for all that she had done. Simon knew the woman’s past and his thoughts in v39 revealed that all he saw was a hopeless sinner, someone he would not want to waste his time on. He probably thought her presence made his whole household unclean. Simon even thought that Jesus wasn’t much of a prophet since He seemed to be ignorant of her past.

 

Simon was wrong. Jesus knew the woman’s past and He did not overlook her history. Jesus even told His fellow guests that this woman’s sins were many in v47. But Jesus did not reveal that to embarrass her. Jesus said that to show that His forgiveness can restore even the most sinful people. When Simon saw the woman, he could not see past her immoral reputation. Simon only saw a sinner. When Jesus saw the woman, He saw past her immorality and sins. He saw a broken woman in need of love and restoration. He forgave her sins in v48.

 

Many people make the same mistake as Simon. Many people judge others based on their past, their track record, their reputation and by appearances. But Jesus teaches us to look at people with compassion and see them as He sees them, broken people in need of love and forgiveness.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we praise You for You are abounding in compassion, mercy and grace. Thank you for not giving up on us. Help us to look at others through Your eyes, to show them compassion, grace and mercy. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. Have you ever misjudged someone based on their past, their reputation, and appearances? What happened?
  2. How can you prevent yourself from misjudging others? Discuss.
  3. How should you be looking at others based on what you learnt from this devotion?
  4. Do you think there are some sins that Jesus will not forgive? Discuss.