How’s Your Gratitude?

In the Gospel of Luke 7:36-50, a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to dinner. Luke tells us that a “sinful” woman shows up uninvited. I can just imagine, in a small conservative Jewish town, this woman probably felt pretty ostracized. And yet she’s so moved—so touched in some way by Jesus—that she takes a huge risk. She brings in costly oil, kneels down, and washes Jesus’ feet, anointing them with her oil and tears.

Now Simon the Pharisee—he sees this, and he’s indignant. And he thinks, “If Jesus were really a prophet, he’d know what kind of woman this is—and he’d never let her near him.”

But it’s not that Jesus doesn’t know what kind of woman she is—he knows. But he also knows what kind of man Simon is. And so he tells a parable: Let’s say there are two people, and one of them owes Master Card $5,000 and another owes $25,000, and they can’t pay it. And suppose Mr. Master Card says to both of them, “Oh, don’t worry about it. Your debts are canceled.” Who’s going to love Mr. Master Card more?

Simon says, “I suppose the one who had the greater debt.” And Jesus says, “Exactly! This woman—she knows she’s been forgiven, and she’s grateful. But Simon, you’ve had to have so little forgiven that you love little.”

So what’s Jesus getting at here? Is he saying: Simon, you’ve been a pretty good guy. You haven’t messed up too bad. Obviously, you haven’t sinned enough in your life—not like her. Why don’t you take about a year, get out there and really mess things up? Then come back and see me—and then I’ll forgive you, and then you’ll be grateful.

Is that what Jesus is saying? Or is he saying, “Simon, your problem is that you don’t realize what a sinful man you are? You don’t realize how much you’ve been forgiven—how much God has done for you already. Where is your gratitude?”

It strikes me that awareness of God’s grace in our lives, or lack thereof, affects how we view the world, how we view other people, and how we live out our faith.

Gratitude involves a conscious effort. And it is a choice. Am I going to notice the blessings around me as entitlements or as the gifts they are? Am I going to consciously recognize what difference Christ has made in my life, my faith community, my faith? And once I notice, how am I going to respond?

Let us pray: Holy God, we thank you for your grace, your mercy, your love for each and every one of us. Grant us eyes to see the blessings on every side. And may our lives be lived in response. Amen.