Nothing to Give

Luke 7: ⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

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“Would you like a dining room set?” one family said to me. “Um, sure” I said to them. I went to their luxurious home and they had an extra dining room set with all the furniture I could imagine. “I don’t have anything to repay you” were the first words out of my mouth. “Just take it” they said.

• There were times when I felt bad because I had nothing to give.
• There were times when I had more needs than resources.
• There were times when I wanted to be a blessing to people but needed to be the recipient of blessing.

JESUS points out the flaw in humans thinking they have it all together. The Pharisee invited JESUS to his house and overlooked the need for hospitality. He did not give JESUS anything. The woman had nothing to give JESUS in return for her forgiveness. She could only offer tears and some expensive oil. She tried to give JESUS something and HE loved it.

• JESUS wants me to know I cannot repay HIM.
• JESUS wants me to know I owe HIM everything.
• JESUS wants me to know that if I serve the poor and hurt, I have served HIM.

I can never repay JESUS for forgiving me of my overt sins. HE sits right there and watches me do exactly what HE tells me not to do and then turns right around and forgives me.. All I can give HIM is my praise and desire to be like HIM. HE accepts my offering and loves me for trying.

• Do you feel you have to try harder to please GOD?
• Are you burnt out, thinking GOD is demanding more from you?
• Can you stop thinking GOD provides blessings based on your actions and simply believe HE loves you?