New Beginnings - Relating With Women of the Bible Part 3Sýnishorn

THE SINFUL WOMAN WHO WASHED JESUS’ FEET—WORDLESS WORSHIP

I was deeply wounded inside, insulted, humiliated, and criticized that I wanted to end my life. But stepping inside a Bible-believing church for the first time and hearing the euphonious, soul-gripping worship music brought tears down my face, and I knew then that God loves me. Before I could even hear the sermon, I clenched to the realization of my sinfulness and repented sorrowfully. When I heard the preaching of the Gospel, I believed that if I came to Jesus, He would not deny me. 

The sinful woman was at Simon the Pharisee’s home before Jesus arrived. She heard of Jesus and wanted to be there when she heard of His coming. Repentant and weeping silently from behind, her tears fell upon Jesus’ dusty feet. Then she bowed down to wash and wipe His feet with her hair, then she kissed and anointed them with fragrant oil. 

For the Jews, the most unworthy part of a person was the feet, yet this woman wiped Jesus’ feet with what was considered the most honorable part of a person’s body—her hair. To the onlookers, however, there was nothing honorable about her, not even her hair. She was shunned as a sinner, the object of criticisms and insults. Yet, in her wordless worship, the Lord knew her contrite spirit. And in Simon’s wordless judgment of the sinful woman, the Lord also knew the inmost thoughts of his heart.

The attention was turned to Simon as Jesus addressed him. He looked at the woman as she lavished Him with love and pointed in comparison Simon’s lack of hospitality devoid of love for his visiting Teacher. As Jesus told a story about forgiveness, Simon correctly guessed that the person forgiven of more debt would love the creditor more. To juxtapose the Pharisaical self-righteous thinking, Jesus forgave only the woman. Hence, the woman judged as sinful became righteous, and the self-righteous remained unsaved. 

Undeniably, our Lord draws to sinners and allows them to touch and worship Him. You may feel like the sinful woman, but don’t be afraid to worship Jesus. You may have been battered and tattered, used and abused, put down and cut down, but you can always approach Him, even wordlessly; He will not deny you. So, just as you are, begin to worship Him today.