Grateful

Luke 7:40-50 (The Message)

Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Oh? Tell me."

"Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"

Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."

"That's right," said Jesus.

Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair.

You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume.

Impressive, isn't it?

She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."

Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."

That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!"

He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

As the seventh chapter of Luke concludes, Jesus teaches us a very basic spiritual principle of massive importance.

The "volume" of forgiveness experienced is directly proportional to the "volume" of gratitude expressed.

That seems fairly straightforward, doesn't it?

So, how grateful are we?

How "much" have we been forgiven?

I think that depends on how honest we're willing to be before God. The truth, of course, is that Simon the Pharisee needed every bit as much forgiveness as the "harlot" in this story.

He just didn't want to admit it. He didn't think that could be true. She knows that God has done an abundant and amazing miracle in her life. Simon, in his self-deception is too cool to be that impressed with God's grace.

What about us? What does the worship of our church express about what God has done? I'll always remember hearing a teacher in my seminary days say that, "the amount of joy a congregation expresses in worship is directly related to that congregation's sense that God has delivered them into new life."

I have found that to be absolutely true. The same could be said for an individual life. What is our sense of joy? It's directly proportional to our knowledge that God has given us more than we deserve.

We all stand in equal need of forgiveness before God. Our joy and gratitude expressed in this life, however, will stand in direct connection to how deeply we understand that need.

Let's embrace our own shortcomings...and goodness of God's forgiveness...and celebrate gratitude in the world.

Prayer: You have forgiven so much in us. We pray that you would create in us clean hearts and stir us up by the power of your Holy Spirit. May we express our gratitude through service to the world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.