What If We Spent More Time Being Grateful Than We Do Judging?
“Turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44)
Of course, Simon sees her. He has been judging the woman since she walked in. She is an embarrassment to his dinner party.
There is a cost to seeing. It will force us to realize things about ourselves that we would rather not see.
He isn’t blind; he’s filled with judgment. And yet, the judgment is making him blind. He doesn’t see her humanity, her extravagant generosity, or her capacity to show love. He doesn’t see her as forgiven. He only sees her as an object of his judgment.
The woman walks away, hearing the words, “Your sins are forgiven….Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
We don’t know what Simon walks away hearing. He drops out of the story. Has he changed? We don’t know.
There is a little Simon in all of us. So, you tell me, how do you see the woman?
What if we spent more time being grateful like the woman than we do judging like Simon? What a difference it would make in our world.