Love Much
I remember an episode of a popular TV series called The Andy Griffith Show. In this episode, a character named Gomer experiences Andy saving his life. As a result, Andy comes out to get in his car and finds Gomer washing it. In fact, every time Andy turns around, Gomer is doing something for him.
Gomer is so taken by Andy’s effort to save him that he just wants to do things for Andy. Gomer is grateful and understands how precious life is and that his life was saved. Gomer responded.
Something similar to what happened to Andy happened to Jesus. One day, Jesus was dining at a Pharisee’s home when a woman of ill repute came in and began washing his feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, and then anointed them with a costly oil.
The Pharisee was offended by it, and Judas could only think of the cost of the perfume and thought it to be a waste because he also had a wrong perception.
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.”
Now, many have taught this to mean people who lived really badly and realize they are forgiven will always love more than those who lived morally good lives but also were forgiven. That can be a perspective, but the principle I see Jesus offering is one of perception on the part of the individual.
I wasn’t a good boy in my mid-teens to early twenties before truly coming to Jesus. I wasn’t someone that parents hoped their sons and daughters would hang out with. My wife, on the other hand, grew up in church all her life and was a good girl by most accounts. However, the real truth is that she needed Jesus just as much as I did. You see, an astounding morally good person needs forgiveness in the same way and as desperately as a depraved person does. It can be a dangerous perspective to think one is t not all that bad but simply wishes to go to heaven and to know Jesus. This type of thinking leads to an imagination that one did not need Jesus as much as another who was obviously destitute in their morality.
The real gospel of the New Covenant removes this false notion by declaring that all are guilty and no one is righteous regardless of how well-behaved or misbehaved they might be. After all, the Scriptures clearly teach that if someone breaks the least commandment, they have violated all of them and are found guilty of breaking the whole law. So, if someone told a lie, it is the same as if they murdered. The law condemns the whole human race and declares them as enemies of God.
This is only changed through faith in Jesus Christ, who offers us His forgiveness and love freely. This is why Paul could preach with such authority that Gentiles did not need to become Jewish; because in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself through a new and living way. Jew and Gentile alike would have to relate with God and come to Him by the same means: faith in Christ alone.
Everyone is a sinner until they come in faith to receive Jesus and accept His grace. I know I needed Him and still need Him more than any other person I know of. Such a revelation can spare us the aggravation of falling into a superiority mindset over others and keep us in a position of trusting and receiving from Him according to His love and grace. It activates a desire to love much. Besides, Scripture teaches us that,
1John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
