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An Awkward Moment

She hurried. She had definitely seen him before. Peering from the fringe of the crowds that constantly surrounded him, she had heard his words that brought hope and love to her empty heart. How did she end up like this? It never was her plan to become a woman of the streets. Life had become so desperate. She didn't fit in with society; she was poor; she was a just a woman alone, and her reputation branded her immoral.

Clutching the vial of perfume to her chest, she hurried. Up and down the winding streets, she pressed on looking for the house of Simon, the Pharisee. She knew that she was not invited, but also knew that she could slip in unnoticed, especially if she played the part of servant. Coming up to the doorway, her heart was pounding. Pulling her veil around her head, she stepped inside and viewed the guests; her eyes straining for him in the dimly lit room. There he was! Already reclining at the table, he was attentively talking with those around him. She could hardly contain the emotion welling up inside of her as she stood before his feet. "Oh, no. . . here come all these tears!" she said to herself. They flowed like an endless river, like a broken dam, wetting the Master's feet. She had to drop to her knees and at least clean up her tears, but they just kept pouring out. She wiped his feet with her hair and poured the perfume on them. "Oh, what have I done?" she thought, as she felt the eyes of other guests upon her. Ooo. . . awkward moment!

She couldn't control her weeping, and began to kiss his feet. It was so strange to her, all of these feelings pouring from her soul. Simon thought to himself, "What is going on here? Who is this woman? If Jesus really was a prophet, he would know how disgusting this woman is who's touching him!" Ooo . . . awkward moment!

Jesus answered his thoughts with a story. "Simon, there was a moneylender who had two debtors. One owed him a ton of money, the other owed a few cents. When they both were unable to pay back their debt, he graciously wrote off their accounts. Now, who do you suppose will love him more?" Simon thought and said, "Well, I suppose the one who was forgiven much." "Yes, that is the correct answer, " Jesus said. Ooo . . . awkward moment?

Turning toward the woman, he went on to say, "You see this woman? I was your guest, but you didn't give me water to wash my feet, yet she has used her very tears to clean them up. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but all this time she has kept kissing my feet. You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. Her sins which indeed are many have been forgiven, because she has loved so much. The one who is forgiven little, loves little." Ooo . . . awkward moment.

Awkward moments are those times in which we have misspoken or acted wrongly. How we wish that we could drop out of sight into a deep, deep hole! We are so embarrassed and ashamed of what we've done or said. Yet, Jesus takes those awkward moments to offer grace and kindness. Our awkward moment becomes His place to bring us peace and restoration. . .

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