Many consequences come when we fail to recognize the baggage that we are carrying. We become hurt and wounded, without any prospect for recovery and healing. We cannot ask for help if we do not realize the weight of the baggage we are carrying. Perhaps the greatest consequence of all is that we miss out on opportunities to serve Jesus because we are too blinded and weighed down by our own baggage.
When Simon, a religious leader, criticized Jesus for letting a sinful woman anoint His feet, wash His feet with her tears, and dry them with her hair, Jesus was not pleased. He quickly let him know that his judgment and focus on this woman with a sinful past had kept him from having the opportunity to serve Jesus and show love to Him. Jesus said to him, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer Me water to wash the dust from My feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair" (verse 44). Not only this, but this woman kissed Jesus' feet while Simon did not greet Jesus with a kiss. Simon also neglected to anoint Jesus' head with oil, while this woman anointed His head with her most expensive perfume. All of these actions, washing your guest's feet, greeting him or her with a kiss, and then anointing their head with olive oil was customary when someone had a house guest in Jesus' day. Simon did none of these things, which would have been viewed as offensive, while this woman did all three things. Simon was so focused on himself that he missed the opportunity to welcome and care for his guest.
Judging others' baggage has a way of keeping us from living out our calling. After all, when we are solely focused on others and what they have done wrong, we cannot actually do what God has meant for us to do. We miss out on the opportunity to love and serve Jesus. When we focus on God's forgiveness and all that He has done for us, our line of vision is corrected, and we can focus on serving Jesus.
Let's take time today to serve Jesus. We may not be able to anoint His feet, but we can certainly serve. Is there someone you know going through a difficult time? Show them love today by taking them a meal or sending a gift card to their favorite coffee shop. If you are not currently serving in the church, maybe it's time for you to reach out and find out how you can serve. Maybe you can invite someone who is far from God to church this weekend. Whatever that looks like, serve Him today out of the forgiveness, grace, and kindness He has shown you.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
