The dirtiest part of the body

Luke 7:36-50

          I began my job over 30 years ago. Although I had a license to practice, I had no experience in my desired specialty and so I was hired as an unlicensed professional. First, it may have seemed demeaning to some, me being licensed and all, but I looked at the long picture. In my lower position I was called to perform many tasks that others would not do. In the process I learned everything from the ground up. I never felt demeaned and had a greater appreciation for the staff that eventually worked for me. Many people think some jobs are too good for them. A good argument can be made for the fact that our economy would collapse if we deported 'illegal aliens' because they actually perform tasks that many people would not do. Many people have the opinion that they are better than others, they are too good and they look down on others. This is wrong on many, many levels. We are all equal and nobody's job is more important than any one else's. The housekeeper and the surgeon both are vital to the operation of our operating rooms. You can't operate without the surgeon and who would want to have their surgery in a dirty OR? We are all equal, we all contribute. No one is better than another.

           In this passage there is a great deal of looking down on people and there are also some excellent examples of how we should act. The woman here, who would be the lowest of the low is submitting herself to the man who is love. She would most likely not do so for the Pharisee whose holiness is born of earthen rules and hypocrisy. The woman knew who was the real deal and who had the real message. She was willing to touch and clean what was considered the dirtiest part of the body, the dirty feet of a man living in a society of sandals and dirt roads.  And Jesus, as high above us as any man can be and certainly more so as our God, let this 'sinner' touch him and bath his feet. Jesus would be considered just as filthy just for allowing her to touch him. Jesus does not seem to be phased by what she appears to be or even what she was. He recognized faith and love. Aren't those the most important qualities? Does stature matter? Is sinfulness even important in the face of God's love? Isn't God's love more powerful than any rules man can make, impose or judge by? As I often quote ( perhaps too sarcastically at times ), didn't the new Pope say "Who am I to judge?

               Sometimes we look down on a whole lot of people and a whole lot of things when we are all on the same level playing field. The only one not on our plane is our God and creator who loves us so very much. Shouldn't we spend more time loving and less times looking down? 

              

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’