Rookie Class

Over the last 4-5 years I have had several mentor characters stress the importance of defining, understanding, and articulating one’s testimony. It was the great weight with which they spoke about this testifying topic that led me to believe how influential such a story could be.
Without fail, within every cloud of witnesses with which I have ever associated, some one, if not many, dispute this rationalization for the prominence of testimony. They defend with thoughts justified, I think, by scripture.
Here is what I read on this morning of light from the rugged pages of these tattered Scriptures: (It is important that you read all of what follows and not just skip the scripture part because you’ve already read it a couple dozen times.)
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and 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. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is -- that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher.” he said. “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed ten times as much as the other. Neither of them had the money to pat him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she love much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
While reading this account, I begged for tears to trench down my face, but at the moment of true compassion all that streamed from my eyes was a a dry, arid lust to be forgiven much. It is here that I can see why so many “born-in-the-church” Christians are so hesitant to proclaim their love for a compassionate God. Their eyes have sinned little and been forgiven, though little. They want to love much but do not know what it feels like or know the feeling of being loved much.
This is not to say the Jesus does not love them as well. He is, after all, reclining at the Pharisee’s table.
Oh Lord, how I long to love much and acknowledge my desperate need for you. But as long as you continue to let me victory over anything, my will to love anyone besides myself lacks endurance. Convict me of my crimes. Take me to the desert to only rely on you. By the power in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord, I pray. Amen.



rookie class -- those two words were typed by my new friend and brother Markos; he is 3. We learned how to type this morning. And how appropriate those words are when attempting to understand Adonai and all he encompasses.