A sinful woman washed the feet of Jesus with her hair and her tears. She kissed His feet and anointed them with oil. Jesus said that she loved much. He said in Luke 7:47, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Jesus teaches that one’s love is proportionate to how much one is perceived to have been forgiven. If we live our lives believing that Jesus has forgiven us a little and that God has blessed us a little, then how much will we love Him? Rather than think that we have received little, we must see all the great things that God has given us. How can we love Christ if we consider His forgiveness for our sins to have forgiven so few sins or that our sins are small and insignificant?

When we see ourselves as having committed great offenses and received great forgiveness, then we will love Him more. When we love more, we will serve Him more, and then love others with even more diligence. Jesus also spoke of this forgiven women speaking to Peter. Jesus asked,

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:41-42).

Jesus affirmed Peter’s answer that the one forgiven of more loved more. Rather our sins are 500 or 50, we must look at our sins with tears thanking God for the greatness of His forgiveness.

If you were in the presence of Jesus, would you feel as compelled as this loving woman to wash His feet with your tears? It is by such godly sorrow that all people must repent to be saved (2 Cor. 7:9-11). Otherwise without godly sorrow, we cannot change. Truly those who love Christ as this forgiven woman, love Christ so much that they keep His commandments (John 14:21-24, 1 John 5:3). Let us consider ourselves forgiven of much more than this repentant woman. Let us forgive others of their minor offenses since we have been guilty and forgiven of so much. Even more so, if we do not forgive and show the grace of Christ, then we will not be forgiven (Matt. 5:16-17, 18:34-35, Mark 11:25, Luke 17:3-4, Eph. 4:32).