To Forgive Is To Surrender

I was reading today in Luke the story of Jesus Anointed By a Sinful Woman. As I read the end of the story, a piece of it stuck out to me. Towards the end of the story, Jesus reminds Simon that "those who are forgiven much, love much and those who have been forgiven little, love little". Hmmmm...

I don't think Jesus is making the case that the more sinful the acts one commits before they become a Christian, the more they love Him after they're born again. I believe Jesus is making a point that Christians have to be consciously aware of how truly depraved we are, whether a prostitute or an Eagle Scout, and to the extent that we are aware of our total and complete depravity — that we bring nothing to the table but a sinful heart — that is the extent to which we love God.

And in order to forgive others or allow ourselves to be forgiven, we must surrender our hurts and pains to the only one who offers complete and utter healing. And by no means am I saying that's easy...but it's good...

And there is something about being around people who have been forgiven much and have done the long hard work of the soul. There's a freedom in people who have truly experienced God's grace, and recognize and understand His grace in ways that others have yet to encounter or fully grasp.

I have a dear friend who I admire deeply, because when I'm around her, it's evident that she has done the long hard work of the soul. She has allowed Jesus to intersect her life and has forgiven others and in turn, has allowed herself to be forgiven. She brings a refreshing presence to those around her and it is clear that the Lord has worked and continues to work in her life. She is an older friend of mine and each time I see her, her inner beauty astonishes me--I wanna be like her as I continue to grow up.

Because yes, I am surely still growing...