An Alabaster Box of Thankfulness

I am thankful.

I could be more thankful.

I should be more thankful!

I admit I am spoiled and I take too many of life's blessings for granted. I have more than most people in the world just because I have a roof over my head and food to eat. I have a loving husband and a healthy growing family. So why am I not so overwhelmed with thankfulness.

I read Luke 7 this morning. Their is a story in this chapter about a women who anointed Jesus' feet with expensive oil, washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair. The Pharisees in the house were aghast. She was a sinner.

Jesus says "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little , loves little."

You could say that I am a pretty "good" person. Never been arrested, never murdered, try to be honest and trustworthy. BUT believing this is a trap. It is the trap of ungratefulness. Those Pharisees thought they were great people. Followed the laws, dressed right, ate right, did all the right things but Jesus knew they could not feel the grace of God through their self righteousness.
We all fall into this trap sometimes. We can look like a upstanding Christians but the outside skin only tells a small part of our story. It is the inside that Jesus focus's on. The heart that is capable of murder just by hate, the heart that is guilty of adultery just by lust. We do a great job of hiding all this.

The woman who so boldly wept on Jesus' feet didn't care what other people thought. She knew her sin and was not trying to hide it. In fact she was willing to humiliate herself in front of those who acted as her judge. In her heart she must have know who her real judge was.

She displayed this humble act of love for the world to see for many generations to come.

And He forgave her.

This story really reminded me what I am really thankful for. I am thankful for all I have, but I think I am more thankful for the forgiveness that is undeservedly given to me, a sinner, by Jesus. If everything else were gone from this world I would still have that...

and I know it would be enough.