As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them (Luke 7: 38).

Here’s a link to the entire passage!

When I think about Jesus, I tend to focus on how he’s always serving other people. I model my own service after him.  I enjoy volunteering and serving others, but I’m also quick to deflect assistance from them.  After all, it’s better to serve than be served, right?

I’ll admit it makes me a bit uncomfortable when I imagine this scene of the woman anointing the feet of Jesus.  He allows her to wash his feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and she never stops kissing them.  

But as I reflect on what is occurring, I find Jesus doing something extraordinary.

Jesus sees the woman more deeply than I first did.  He sees someone who has been wounded through sin. But he also sees her heart and understands how deeply important her act of service is.  Her act shows humility, graciousness, and love. And allowing himself to be served reflects Jesus’s own humility, graciousness, and love.  The act is as much about her as it is about Jesus, as only through him can her “debt” (sin) be forgiven. 

As Jesus accepts the woman’s act of service, he also acts as a mirror to show Simon his true self.  Jesus knows what is in Simon’s heart.  He knows Simon sees her as a sinner, and not worthy of anything.  His comments are that much more poignant as Jesus speaks favorably about the actions of the woman, while noting that Simon has shown none of the customary acts of hospitality towards him.  Simon is so focused on her sin that he misses Jesus as the path to his own forgiveness.

After this woman performed her act of service for Jesus, he told everyone gathered, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.” His final words to the woman are, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Her acts of service showed great love, but it was her faith in Jesus that forgives her sinful debt.

In my own life, I view my own service as an expression of what Jesus has taught me. But this passage is a reminder of how deeply important welcoming acts of service from others is.  Both service and being served are acts that connect us. To follow the example of Jesus is to embrace both! 

Acts of service always seem to be a great way to connect with our neighbors.  But where are some places where, for whatever reasons, you’ve missed connecting more deeply by not allowing yourself to also be served?