Jesus was having dinner with some very "important" people. A woman came in, and they all knew who she was: a big sinner! How did she dare come in to their dinner party?
She came and fell at Jesus' feet and washed his feet with her tears. She dried his feet with her long hair. The men whispered to each other, "Doesn't he know who this woman is?" Then, she did something that shocked everyone: she took the most valuable thing she had, a bottle of very, very expensive perfume, and broke the beautiful jar, pouring it over Jesus' feet. The men gasped. "What a waste!" they said. But Jesus smiled at her. "What she has done is beautiful, and will be told all over the world. People anointed the kings with oil, but she anointed me with her tears."
Jesus said to them, "This woman knows she is a sinner who will never be good enough. She knows she needs me to rescue her, and that is why she loves me so much."
He told the woman, "Go in peace. Your sins are forgiven." Again, the men were angry. "Who does he think he is? Only God can forgive sins!" They did not believe that Jesus was God's Son.
Jesus said, "There was once a man who owed a lot, and a man who owed a little. The person they owed the money to forgave both debts. Who do you think loved the man more? He who has been forgiven much loves much. He who has been forgiven little loves little."
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Jesus, we would probably have been like those men who did not understand who you are. We want to be like the woman who did know, and loved you. She didn't care what anyone else thought. She knew she needed you desperately. We also need you desperately, but we spend so much time trying to convince ourselves and other people that we are OK without you. That we don't owe you much. Please break our cold hearts, like that bottle of perfume. We want new hearts that can worship you with gratitude, and give you the honor and glory that you deserve for rescuing us and being our humble, beautiful, true King.
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