Luke 7:47

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47 NIV

Here is a little background on this verse.

There was a sinful women who showed up to a Pharisee’s house where Jesus was dining. She went to Jesus crying and washed his feet with her tears and then poured extremely expensive perfume on his feet. She began wiping his feet with her hair and the Pharisee complained and thought the display foolish and a waste. That’s when Jesus explains this woman’s understanding of the forgiveness she has received. Jesus tells him she knows the value of what she has received. Jesus then says to the Pharisee, you have done nothing for me. He is letting the Pharisee know, you don’t know the value of what I have done for you. If you did, you would have done the same.

The Pharisee was busy looking at the sin of the woman and belittling his own. He, of course, did not sin like this woman. He saw her sin as great and not worthy of Jesus. He was looking at the value of what she was willing to pour out in gratitude rather than the value of the love and forgiveness that Christ poured out for her. Because he didn’t understand the cost and value of the forgiveness of his own sin, he was not able to express his own gratitude and appreciation for Jesus.

Our appreciation and gratitude are expressed in quantities of thankfulness. Our love is poured out when we understand what the value of the gift is.

The expression of thankfulness at receiving a rose is going to look different than that of receiving a diamond ring or a 10 day vacation to Europe. Little effort, time, and money goes into purchasing a rose. Anyone can pick up a single rose at the convenience store while getting gas. On the other hand, a lot of work and time and money is spent in preparation for the purchase of the diamond or vacation.

The value that you place upon the gift is correlated with your understanding of the relative cost the giver paid.

What if I told you that the cost, effort, and time given was skewed? What if I told you there were facts not included that would change your perspective of the gift? What if I told you the value you placed on the gift wasn’t equivalent to the appraised value? What If I told you your perspective was wrong and the regard you have for the gift was misplaced?

Let me share the gift of a rose from a different angle.

A man got in an accident and was left paralyzed from the waist down. He was hospital-bound for six months while he recovered. He no longer had the ability to work and so he lived paycheck to paycheck. His hospital bills were accumulating and he couldn’t keep up the payments. His car was repossessed because of nonpayment and he no longer had transportation. He had been in physical therapy for 6 months and was just learning how to transfer to a wheelchair and use it successfully. During this whole time his wife was working and taking care of him.

On the day he was released from the hospital, while his wife was at work, he transferred into his wheelchair and then looked around the house to find whatever change he could gather up. After much effort, pain, and time, he took every bit of cash he could find and wheeled his way to the convenient store a mile and a half away. When he got there, he took the time to look at the few single roses they had and picked the one that reflected the love he had in his heart for her. After he was done, he headed back home where he placed the rose strategically on the table where she was sure to see it when she walked in the door.

When his wife walked in the front door what do you think she felt? What value do you think she placed on that rose? Do you think she understood the time, effort, pain, and cost it took to get that rose and give it to her? Do you think she compared the vacation her friend had just received as a gift from her husband? Do you think she was less thankful than her other friend who had just received a diamond ring from her husband? Which gift do you think she preferred? Which one was she more appreciative of?

The applied value of a thing is what it is worth to you!

In the verse above Jesus is saying the women loves much because she understand the forgiveness she has received. Conversely, he is saying, your love is little because you only see the forgiveness as little. He is telling the Pharisee, you don’t understand the value of your forgiveness, because you don’t realize the cost of your sin, because your comparing it to others, rather than the price that is paid for it.

It’s not what you’ve done, but what Jesus has done that makes the difference. We all have sinned. Everyone’s sin looks different. When we are busy comparing sin and who’s is worse, we lose sight of the fact that it cost Jesus the same price for all sin. When we focus on what he did for “ME” as an individual we come to understand that we are forgiven much and it beckons us to love him much.

If you find yourself not loving Jesus much, perhaps you don’t realize how much you have been forgiven. If you don’t desire to spend time with God in his word or prayer maybe its because you aren’t aware that your sin alone was cause for the brutal beating and crucifixion of Jesus. There are no minor sins. Each and very sin requires payment from a just God. The smallest of sins separate you from God to a place of eternity in hell. Unless you allow the blood of Jesus to pay for it, cleanse you, and forgive you.

Take time today and mediate on the price Jesus paid for your sins. Contemplate the cost and realize just how much you have been forgive. Then express to Jesus how much you love him! He who is forgiven much loves much.