And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner. Luke 7:36

And Simon said to himself, “If this man (Jesus) were a prophet, He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:39

And Jesus answered, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” Luke 7:40

And thus began the ‘in-your-face’ lesson about grace.

Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss; but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet from the moment I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. She has been forgiven much and she loves much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:44-47

Grace is the undeserved favor of God.  Grace is a gift with no strings attached. A gift that is earned or somehow deserved is NOT a gift.  And grace that is earned or somehow deserved is NOT grace.

Any claim to merit diminishes grace.  Any sense of entitlement is an insult to the grace of God and blocks our ability to love Him and to love others.

Simon felt deserving and worthy.  He felt superior.  He could not enjoy the richness of God’s grace.  He could not ‘love much’.

How about you?  Do you feel like you are earning or deserving of God’s favor? Do you feel superior?

Or do you embrace your inability to earn God’s favor and come humbly before Him with arms wide open, ready to receive His lavish grace, ready to share his grace with others?