In order to appreciate what Jesus Christ did at the cross in Calvary, we need to know clearly what He saved us from. I will not be treating the subject of hell in this post but rather the attitude people should have in gratitude for what Jesus Christ did for the human race.
It is important to know that according to Romans 3:23, all man have sinned and therefore have fallen short of God’s grace. Sin is what brings enmity between man and God, no matter its size. It may be daunting to know that in the sight of God stealing a paper clip is as good as killing a person. Similarly, stealing $ 1 is the same as stealing billions of dollars. Therefore, our gratitude should be the greatest as if it is from the person that has committed the worst of sins. This is a lesson I picked from Jesus words as recorded in Luke 7 from verse 36.
Jesus talks on gratitude
In Luke 7:36 – 50, we see Jesus accepting a publicly known sinner. This was a when a woman washed the feet of Jesus Christ with her tears and rubbed them with a perfume. I agree with the record on how the Pharisee, Simon, reacted to what was happening right in his sight. I’m tempted to believe that many, including myself, would have reacted just like Simon. I’m even reminded of some of the things we often question in our hearts that our pastors and religious leaders do. This portion of scripture reveals to us that Jesus Christ reads into that every time it happens.
The Bible does not record words from this woman’s mouth but we can read it from what Jesus said about her. Jesus unveils that this woman believed in Him (v 50), and probably this is what caused her to do what she did. She wasn’t in pursuit of her commonly known sinful desires. In fact, the Bible does not reveal the specific sinful behavior of the woman. She could have been a witch, a gossiper, a thief, etc.
To explain His point, Jesus shared a parable with Simon. Jesus said,
“Two people owed money to the same banker. One owed five hundred coins[a] and the other owed fifty. 42 They had no money to pay what they owed, but the banker told both of them they did not have to pay him. Which person will love the banker more?”
In this context, I am of the view that Jesus likens ‘gratitude’ to ‘love’. When we talk about love, there is a lot that comes to play. Remember, love is the greatest even when compared to faith and hope. If you are grateful to Jesus for what He has done for you, you automatically love Him. At least that is the expectation.
Jesus talks of gratitude in action
Jesus then taught that love is expressed in actions. In verse 44 to 47, Jesus counts the elements of the actions that showed love from this woman. Simon saw something else when Jesus saw love. I will not go into details but would encourage you to read this portion of scripture about this woman.
The challenge before us
Have we shown love to Jesus by doing what He expects from those that love Him? The list of such things is endless and if you want details, the Bible is the best record for them. I can tell you this truth, ‘we are always indebted to Jesus for the things we much do to express our belief and love for Him’.
I pray for you and myself to be an active lover of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed.
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