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Daily Scripture
Luke 7:36-8:15
During Lent, we are using short videos to share a daily idea (linked to the gospel of Luke) on how to grow spiritually. Watch today’s video. Click here or on the image below:
Note: We are reading the entire gospel of Luke in the GPS. Some day’s readings are longer than usual. We hope you’ll have an extra cup of coffee, or use your lunch break, and read Luke’s entire story of Jesus.
36 One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. After he entered the Pharisee’s home, he took his place at the table. 37 Meanwhile, a woman from the city, a sinner, discovered that Jesus was dining in the Pharisee’s house. She brought perfumed oil in a vase made of alabaster. 38 Standing behind him at his feet and crying, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured the oil on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw what was happening, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. He would know that she is a sinner.
40 Jesus replied, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, speak,” he said.
41 “A certain lender had two debtors. One owed enough money to pay five hundred people for a day’s work [or five hundred denaria]. The other owed enough money for fifty. 42 When they couldn’t pay, the lender forgave the debts of them both. Which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the largest debt canceled.”
Jesus said, “You have judged correctly.”
44 Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your home, you didn’t give me water for my feet, but she wet my feet with tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has poured perfumed oil on my feet. 47 This is why I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven; so she has shown great love. The one who is forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other table guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this person that even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
8:1 Soon afterward, Jesus traveled through the cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. The Twelve were with him, 2 along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Among them were Mary Magdalene (from whom seven demons had been thrown out), 3 Joanna (the wife of Herod’s servant Chuza), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
4 When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable: 5 “A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it. 6 Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them. 8 Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered.” As he said this, he called out, “Everyone who has ears should pay attention.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can’t see, and when they hear, they can’t understand [Isaiah 6:9].
11 “The parable means this: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved. 13 The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures. 15 The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The woman who “crashed” Simon’s feast had already met Jesus, and he’d forgiven her “many sins” (Luke 7:47). Self-righteous Simon (who felt no need for mercy) was in greater spiritual danger than the grateful woman. Jesus (maybe seeing a farmer hand-tossing seeds) told a parable about four types of soil. It asked his hearers (and us) to ponder what kind of soil heaven’s seed finds in our hearts.
- Jesus asked Simon a pointed question: “Do you see this woman?” “Simon only saw sin, but Jesus saw the woman and her lavish display of humility, nurture, generosity and love.” * How did Jesus’ pointed contrast in verses 41-47 show the spiritual emptiness of Simon’s pious front, fed in part by his culture’s beliefs in male superiority?
- What kind of soil are you, how receptive to God’s transforming grace? Maybe it’s better to ask: as you read Jesus’ description of the four kinds of soil, which aspects of each type can you identify in yourself? In what ways does Jesus’ story challenge you to become more open to God’s work in and through you?
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Prayer
Lord Jesus, you keep sowing the seed of your kingdom even though I don’t always respond to it. Help me always keep the soil of my heart receptive to you. Amen.
GPS Insights
Janelle Gregory
I hear about how other Christians love hearing the words of Jesus. They speak as though every utterance from his lips fills their souls with pure abounding joy. Confession: I’m not one of these people. I love Jesus – like I really, really love him. That being said, I don’t always take personal delight in what he has to say. Listen, I’m all here for “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me” John 14:1 or “Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.” Matthew 6:34. I can totally get on board for either of those – put them on a wall hanging, a coaster, a pillow. Count me in.
But if I’m to be honest, there are times when I read what Jesus is saying and it makes me squirm. Like a child, I figuratively plug my ears and close my eyes, pretending that I simply can’t hear him. I have ALWAYS felt this way when I read the parable of the sower. As a recap, Jesus breaks it down starting in Luke 8:11: “The parable means this: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved. 13 The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures. 15 The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.” If you look at Matthew’s version of the story, the seed also gets devoured by birds or scorched in the sun. Fun times.
Here’s the thing – never have I ever read either version and thought, “That’s me. I’m the good soil.” No, I sit there and think, “Oh my gosh. Am I the rocky soil? No, wait. I think I might be in the weeds! Is that a bird coming?!!!” Like I said, sometimes Jesus makes me squirm. I sit and think about all the “good soil” people reading this passage in delight, being ever so grateful they are not one of us bad soils. Ahhh, what I wouldn’t give to be good soil.
At least this is how I used to read the passage. However, I’ve come to ask lately if anyone is meant to identify as good soil. Perhaps. But I’m also wondering if Jesus wasn’t wanting us to self-reflect and consider anything that may be a barrier to becoming good soil. You see, if we easily identify as good soil, we may be blind to the dangers aiming to attack our spiritual lives. When we read the parable, I think we can confidently ask, “How are my roots doing? Am I being tempted to fall away? Am I being consumed with worldly pleasures?” If any of these questions make you squirm, welcome to the bad soil club. You’re in good company. It’s in the bad soil club where we’re fully aware of our shortcomings, endlessly working to be good soil, and in gratitude for the grace when we don’t fully make it.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, “Portrait” note on “Woman Who Washed Jesus’ Feet” in The CEB Women’s Bible. Nashville: Common English Bible, 2016, p. 1301.
