Simon’s Change of Heart

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Romans 2:1.
Simon the host had been influenced by the criticism of Judas upon Mary’s gift, and he was surprised at the conduct of Jesus. His Pharisaic pride was offended. He knew that many of his guests were looking upon Christ with distrust and displeasure. Simon said in his heart, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner.”
By curing Simon of leprosy, Christ had saved him from a living death. But now Simon questioned whether the Saviour were a prophet…. Jesus knows nothing of this woman who is so free in her demonstrations, he thought, or He would not allow her to touch Him….
As did Nathan with David, Christ concealed His home thrust under the veil of a parable. He threw upon His host the burden of pronouncing sentence upon himself. Simon had led into sin the woman he now despised. She had been deeply wronged by him…. But Simon felt himself more righteous than Mary, and Jesus desired him to see how great his guilt really was. He would show him that his sin was greater than hers, as much greater as a debt of five hundred pence exceeds a debt of fifty pence….
Simon’s coldness and neglect toward the Saviour showed how little he appreciated the mercy he had received. He had thought he honored Jesus by inviting Him to his house. But he now saw himself as he really was…. His religion had been a robe of Pharisaism…. While Mary was a sinner pardoned, he was a sinner unpardoned. The rigid rule of justice he had desired to enforce against her condemned him.
Simon was touched by the kindness of Jesus in not openly rebuking him before the guests. He had not been treated as he desired Mary to be treated…. Stern denunciation would have hardened Simon against repentance, but patient admonition convinced him of his error. He saw the magnitude of the debt which he owed his Lord. His pride was humbled, he repented, and the proud Pharisee became a lowly, self-sacrificing disciple.
Conflict and Courage p. 307
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Prayer Requests
—–Pray that God will lead and guide in our future. E
—–Please pray for Joe who broke his knee yesterday. Esther
—–My Daughter in Law pregnant with twins girls. One of the babies was not getting as much blood through umbilical cord. They began monitoring with weekly Sonogram. Yesterday she started contractions early after sonogram check up. She is only at 29 weeks. She is hospitalized and injection administered to stop contractions. She may stay hospitalized for further care. My son the father took time off work to be with her today. Obviously he needs to go back to work tomorrow. Prayer appreciated in all areas thank you. Lorrie
—–Please pray for our local church, corporately, and the members individually–the devil is hard at work and we need to stand united with Jesus and each other to withstand the attacks. Jeanie
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Dear Friends,
Knowing that I had always wanted to learn to play the piano, at the time of my 14th birthday, my mother told me that she had enough money saved to buy me a piano or to pay for lessons, but she could not afford both. She worked very hard for long hours and even then, we had almost nothing. So this present was extra special. I didn’t have to think very long. I responded, “If I choose the lessons, I’ll have nothing to practice on and they’ll do me no good. I choose the piano.”
My grandmother let me have a hymnal that she never used. My mother showed me where middle C was on the keyboard and on the music. From what I had learned in music class in school, in a couple of months, I could play Rock of Ages and a few other songs. God blessed and in a couple of more months, I could play any song in that hymn book. There was so much about music that I didn’t even begin to realize, but that didn’t bother me. I just loved the piano and would come home from school and spend hours playing it when I should have been doing my homework or helping with housework. My grandmother gave me her old sheet music, and I began a collection of popular music from the 1860’s through the 1920’s.
A couple of years later, I started going to church. At first when they asked me to play in the youth division, I would literally get sick to my stomach I was so afraid. I felt very unsure of myself. And I should have felt that way: I knew so little and I had never heard the songs before. By the time I was 18, I was asked to play for a special meeting they were having. I began to feel a little proud. I walked up to the piano and began to play “Onward Christian Soldiers.” I was doing fairly well, when suddenly a puff of wind blew the pages of my song book and I was looking at a completely different song. I didn’t know what to do. I sort of knew the tune and tried to pick it out with my right hand while fumbling through the book with my left hand, trying desperately to find the right page. I was totally humiliated.
After what seemed like an eternity, my friend Laurel brought up another hymnal that she had opened to the right page. She pointed to the right place in the music, and I began to play as if nothing had ever happened. She took other hymnals and propped the book open so I would not lose my place again. It was all very embarrassing, but it was very good for me. That pride that I had begun to enjoy, had completely vanished. Over the years, I have had many more embarrassments that have not allowed any pride to return.
Jesus taught the principle “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matt 23:12 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
Many times Jesus helped His disciples understand this principle. It was a hard lesson for them to learn. Their whole focus was on being the greatest and having the highest place in the kingdom that they were sure that Jesus was about to establish. “And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.” Mark 9:33-37
We have so little to be proud of. James says, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14 Peter agrees, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:24,25
Praise God that “He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities….Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children, To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” Ps 103:10-13
Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Rom 12:1-3
May we not allow pride to fill us with self importance. May we remember to stay close to our Dear Saviour Who is our only strength, our Only Helper. May we look away from self and focus on the One Who loves us so.
Rose