When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 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.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬
For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.

Have you ever been invited to a party where you barely know anyone there? I have been at a few of these. I am a strong extrovert, so it is not as daunting to me — I like to meet new people. My wife is an introvert, and this would be a bit more challenging for her. The challenge at the party may be that you have no one to hang with, and gossip about you may start. As I picture this woman entering Simon the Pharisee’s house, she is socially out of place. This type of party is not where she typically belongs. While we aren’t told exactly her sin issue, the implication is that she was a prostitute. She is used to operating under the cloak of darkness. And this perfume: 1) it was worth a lot of money, 2) it may have been something used in her past sinful life, 3) it might have been her most valuable possession. So in walks this woman living a sinful life and she is weeping. She can feel the judgment in the eyes of those around her. Maybe some of them had been impacted by her sin — families torn apart; marriages ruined. And so, she stands there weeping, and her tears fall on Jesus’ feet. Maybe she notices they have not been washed. She probably planned to anoint his head with the perfume, but instead, mixes it with her tears that have fallen on his feet. She takes her hair and uses it as a towel to wipe the dirt and sweat and grime off of them. She is so remorseful for her sin, and she goes to the only one who can forgive her. She fully humbles herself. Before, in her sinful life, outward appearance and pleasure was all that mattered. Now, the inward condition of the heart made her outwardly foolish and humble behavior irrelevant. She anointed the Lord Jesus and recognized him as the one who could help her move on from her sinful life.

What sin do I have that I need to repent of and humbly approach the feet of my Savior? It is an entanglement that is keeping me from a more fruitful life with God! How long will I cover over my sin, making the outside look good, all the while letting sin rot away my heart?

Lord, you see my pitiful sin clearly. I repent of it and, like this sinful woman, I give you all I have. I humbly submit to your truth and your righteous ways. Free me from the entanglements of this world, so I can serve you completely with all my heart!