A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. Luke 7:37-38
“One of the most certain facts about Jesus is that He associated with the wrong people, people others thought caused defilement, but Jesus did not fear becoming unclean through contact with the unholy. He thought holiness was stronger and more contagious than defilement and he accepted the woman’s actions as righteous and loving.”
Klyne Snodgrass in Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008) 86.
Do you associate with anyone that might be labeled a shady character?
Yesterday my pastor looked at this text and quoted Snodgrass. Klyne is a brilliant scholar and friend. He alerts us to the fact that holiness is “stronger and more contagious than defilement.”
Think about that in light of the pandemic. COVID has gripped the world in fear.
We must fear neither disease nor defilement. Like Jesus, we should be associating with people that may even be labeled “wrong” because we are all broken and in need of a Savior.
How might you associate generously with the socially unclean?
For Jesus, it matters not how we start but how we finish. Like the woman, those who are forgiven much, love much. Let’s love people generously, especially those society labels “undeserving” or “unclean” people.
Remember, God’s love, grace, and forgiveness are for everyone.