For She Loved Much

I was sitting in church today and looked through a book I have of Simon Dewey artwork.

I stopped at this image and read the description from the artist.

He was inspired by the story of this woman told in Luke Chapter 7.

I opened my scriptures to the reference and read a bit more of the story...

37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence , and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both.  Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Today those words struck me a bit, you know how you read something over again and it reads different?

I know this verse is talking about the debt being paid and how there is great gratitude and love when a huge debt is forgiven, more so than a small debt.  But I thought of this differently today.

I thought about my little kids that get so mad at each other when the one who was wronged doesn't offer forgiveness.  A callus, hurt heart starts to form in the offender, it's hard for them to feel love.  Often times the forgiveness isn't offered because the little person offending didn't say sorry! 

(This is from our photo session last year... oh the joy!  Can you see the anger?)

Now skip to our lesson at church today offered by our bishop, who talked about being perfect, even as our Father is perfect... even though it is not in human nature.  He talked about being honest with ourselves.  None of are perfect, why pretend to be?  We all have flaws and things to improve upon.  When we are honest, we can repent and start anew.

I sat on the side of little G's bed about a month ago.  We were talking about something he'd done, some mistake he'd made.  I can't remember what it was.  I asked him to apologize and try to do better.  His eyes teared up a bit and he said "Why tell you I'm going to do better?  I know I'm going to mess up again."

This was an important thing for us to talk about.  We are not perfect... we will mess up.  Because we will, do we never try?  Do we never repent and promise to never take the same path we just repented of?  No, each time you go through the process of repentance you forsake your sin, not with the intention of doing it again, but with the sorrow that you messed up. 

And God is there with his loving promise that each time you repent, he will forgive.  Do you feel his love?

These two ideas connected for me today, for the person who is forgiven little, he loveth little.  But for those of us who go time and again to ask for forgives, increase in love. 

This atonement that was made for us is our way to connect, as we partake of it.  It is a way we come to know our Savior, quite intimately, by feeling the weight of sin, the guilt and sorrow, the chains and pain, literally removed from us.  What love we are able to feel after that... both for our Savior, for removing it from us, and for other's because we are now whole.

Could it be that repentance is one of the great keys to love?

I know it is in marriage.  I know it is in family and friendship.  I believe it is in spirituality as well.