Kissing His Feet

~~~ 1 Timothy 4:12-16 ~~~ Psalm 111 ~~~ Luke 7:36-50 ~~~

 

"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

 

The gift of faith is a treasure we must never take for granted.

The woman with the alabaster jar of ointment

stood behind Jesus at his feet weeping.

She does not come face to face with Jesus.

She does not intend to disturb his meal.

She only wants to shower him with her affection

 by washing his feet with her tears.

 

Why is she crying you might ask? Is she repentant for her sinful life?

Does she recognize the immense compassion and goodness in Jesus?

Has she been one of his followers lurking in the crowds?

 

Why was she willing to take the risk of washing his feet

 in such a public place?

What did she have to gain by her actions?

She was exercising her faith, but was that apparent to her?

 

She uses her hair to wipe his feet.

She brought no clean cloth to wipe his feet.

She did bring her most prized possession...the ointment.

Do we bring the best that we have to Jesus?

 

Finally she humbled herself even more

by bending lower to kiss his feet.

This sinful woman anointed the feet of Jesus...the feet

that would be pierced by the soldier's nail.

 

This woman's actions speak to us of love, devotion, humility,

extravagance, tenderness, and faith.

She did not come to Jesus with her own agenda.

She did not come requesting his forgiveness.

She came out of respect for who she believed Jesus was...

a loving, holy man.

 

It was Jesus who saw into this woman's heart and soul.

It was Jesus who spoke

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

 

Jesus recognized her demonstration of great love.

She publicly became intimate with Jesus through her actions.

She let her hair down, something rarely done

by a Jewish woman of that time.

Her long flowing hair obscured her face from casual onlookers.

Her long hair further caressed his feet.

 

This woman touched Jesus, not just with her hands, but with her lips.

She pressed her mouth to the lowliest part of his body.

She kissed the feet which carried him across the dirty ground.

 

 

Paul urges his followers...now including you and me....

...set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

 

Paul goes on encouraging us to be diligent and absorbed

 in what we do with our life.

 

This woman who kneels at the feet of Jesus sets an example for us.

She was completely focused and yes absorbed

in tending to the feet of Jesus.

If you ever experience a foot massage

you can get a sense of what she did for Jesus.

 

This scene is so full of details that it is easy to see

with your heart just what takes place that day.

 

The Pharisee extended the invitation to Jesus to come to dinner;

we do not really know his motivation.

We could speculate that he wanted a closer look at this person, Jesus.

Perhaps he was looking for some explanation as to why

 this man was able to gather so many followers.

 

Blessings come in letting down your hair.

 Get down on your knees to love extravagantly.