Don't Think , Just GO! The Woman and The Alabaster Box (Luke 7:37-50)

ASIDE: What a crazy last week, the enemy was on a rampage, so I stayed prayed up, made it through, and couldn't wait to go to church.  Of course it was awesome, and here I am, in another week, and last week seems very insignificant.  At any rate...

I honestly can't remember if I read the story of the woman and the alabaster box on Saturday or Sunday morning, I got my private praise on both mornings, so who knows :).  Doesn't matter when I read it, it registered and stayed with me, and so here I am again "reflecting".

Read the story The Woman and The Alabaster Box (click the title) and then jump back here for my reflection.  If you've already read it, even better, sit back and reflect with me.  Here we go...

First, this story made me weep after I sat for awhile and really thought about what I read.  I placed myself in the woman's shoes, it wasn't hard to do, I think we had some things in common.  All kinds of thoughts raced through my head (again)...

I wondered, "what was going through her head as she prepared to go see Jesus?"  I mean, sista girl was DEFINITELY NOT ON THE GUEST LIST...of anyone... let alone a Pharisee.  First, she was a woman.  I can't say for sure, but I can gather from what I was taught (good 'ol NPU) that women would not have been found anywhere near this scene.  And to top it off, she was a "sinning woman"...the SCANDAL of it all, right?  I would imagine she had been thinking about this opportunity for some time, or waiting for it to present itself, either that or (like so many of us) she has tried everything to experience peace within her very soul, only to end up in a never ending cycle of mess, and people thinking terrible things about her.  Whatever it was, she didn't care, she went!! GET TO JESUS must've been going through her head. 

How did she know who He was? It doesn't say.  Did she hear about Him from others?  Had she heard that He was the Great Healer?  Had she fallen in love with Him, or with the mere thought of someone who would not judge her, forgive her sins, and love her in spite of all that she has done to gain such a reputation?  Just thinking about such a person probably made her weep, considering everyone else in town shunned her to no end.  I'm sure she had to take just a few seconds to gather herself before she left.  "This is a great man", she thought. "I have to bring to Him the very best I have to offer".  Sure, she could've chosen the less expensive oils she had to anoint His feet.  Shoot, the people that He was with didn't offer Him anything, and He called them out on it! (V. 45-46...I chuckled when I read that).

She left her home.  Did she get nervous and think to turn around, or did she charge forward nonstop? I only ask, because knowing myself, I would've thought twice and turned around.  (Keep that "reflection" in mind). 

I can imagine what it must've been like when she arrived.  The stares, the whispers, the sheer thoughts of "how dare this harlot!!".  I wondered as I read: "how many people are thinking the same things about me within and outside of the "holy" places I enter?".  Ones who know me, and ones who don't...if we could get a clue somewhere in the scripture, I bet we'd be surprised to find out that most of the people sitting with Jesus didn't "know" the woman either.

Funny thing, no one SAID ANYTHING.  But, they were thinking it, and Jesus heard their thoughts.  *Mmmhhmmm...those thoughts we have...? Oh, He hears those. You didn't know?  Good, bad, or indifferent, He hears them just the same!  And he called them out (Jesus loves to do that doesn't He?...always calling someone out...LOL!) by asking Simon about the lender who forgave his two debtors, one owing him 500 the other 50 denarii. His question: Which one of them would love him more?  Simon answered the one who he forgave and cancelled more. *Simon was something else, I'm sure there was a "really Jesus?" tone to his voice...Ok if it wasn't just act like it was, it makes for a better story.

*Sorry for the "scatter brain" moment.  Remember this is MY BLOG and MY REFLECTIONS, and if I have a scatter brain moment, just ride it out, I'll get back to the point.  I digress...

It wasn't so much that the Pharisee was having an inner thought, it was WHAT he was thinking.  He thought that if Jesus was really who He said He was, there is no way that He would let this "notorious sinning woman" (as the Amplified Bible put it) touch Him.  Well...Mr. Pharisee, SHE IS EXACTLY WHO HE WOULD LET, AND WANT TO TOUCH HIM!  People like her are the people that He wants to deliver first, and most.  They need it and appreciate it even more when He does (V. 47). And get this, the Word says that she came from behind Him, and began anointing His feet with her tears and fragrant oil.  So, it is possible that the first time Jesus laid eyes upon her, was not until he turned to her and compared her actions to those who he had broken bread with (V. 44).  If that is true...HE HADN'T PHYSICALLY LAID EYES UPON HER, AND ALREADY HE ACKNOWLEDGED HER ACTIONS, ACCEPTED HER, AND FORGAVE HER! Sorry, I don't know why, but that made me excited! 

If I could kiss and anoint His feet with my tears and expensive oil, just as she did, I would.  When I think of how good He's been, I could weep.  How unworthy I am, but He blesses and keeps me anyway, and He listens, and comforts me.  All I can do is thank Him, praise and worship Him.

Evan as I write that, I still can't help but think of the thoughts that others have about me, and I pray that I, (just as she was) will be released from caring about the thoughts of others.  THINK ABOUT IT: Had she been consumed by the thoughts of others.  She would've been scared or ashamed to go to the place of the Pharisees, and she would've missed her opportunity to be in the presence of the Prince of Peace, who granted her just that... PEACE through forgiving her sins!

If you don't take anything else from this remember: No matter how many wrong choices you have made, He loves you enough to forgive you.  He never turned around to see who this woman was, but He knew that she needed and LOVED Him more than anyone in that room, and she was willing to risk everything, even her life to get to Him.

So, GET TO HIM (I'm saying this to myself too!!).  Stop worrying about what people will think and say about you.  You have nothing to else to lose, and He definitely isn't a losing bet.  And when you get to Him, GIVE HIM YOUR BEST and YOUR ALL!  Go within yourself, get your INTERNAL ALABASTER BOX down off the shelf, and GIVE Him the best PRAISE and ANOINTENCE YOU CAN OFFER HIM, HE DESERVES IT! He's WAITING to say to YOU, just as he did her:

"Your faith has saved you, go into peace" (v. 50)