The One Who is Forgiven Little Loves Little.
“I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little” (Luke 7:47).
There will be a time in your life where a woman like the one in the story comes along and simply says no to those who try to keep her away.
She is going to say no to those that try to pull her back when she walks in the room, who refuses to give her a seat at the table, and who judge her instead of love her.
And she is going to say no because she has already heard Jesus say yes to her. She has heard the words of forgiveness, and it has empowered her, given her back her identity and self-esteem.
And now she is ready to say, “Thank you!” She is prepared to show her gratitude.
What if we were the type of community where the forgiven gather to say, “Thank you,” and the ones longing for forgiveness hear the words, “You are forgiven?”
Imagine being a church, and not just any church, but one where grace takes the place of judgment.
Imagine a church where Jesus was our guest, and we welcomed as his guest all whom he invited.
His students once asked an old rabbi how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun. “Could it be,” asked one of his students, “when you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?” “No,” said the rabbi.
Another asked, “Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it’s a fig tree or a peach tree?” “No,” replied the rabbi.
“Then when is it,” the students insisted. “It is when you can look on the face of any man or woman and see that it is your brother or your sister. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night.”
The one who is forgiven little loves little.
Let us love deep because we have been forgiven wide.