1 - The Lowest Servant

Luke 7:
36. One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for lunch and Jesus accepted the invitation. As they sat down to eat,
37. a woman of the streets - a prostitute - heard he was there and brought an exquisite flask filled with expensive perfume.
38. Going in, she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping, with her tears falling down upon his feet; and she wiped them off with her hair and kissed them and poured the perfume on them.
Living Bible

There seem always to be people who turn up unexpectedly in the life of the Lord Jesus. Like Zacchaeus and Bartimaeus (*) this woman was determined to make personal contact with Jesus.

But because of her past lifestyle, she sought to meet Him in a private setting where there would be plenty of witnesses to the kind of contact she was initiating. She seemed to go out of her way to protect His reputation.

Evidently, they were not sitting down at the table, but reclining on couches to dine, after the custom of the wealthy of that day.

Because of the dusty environment in which they lived, the social custom was that the lowest servant in the household hierarchy would wash the feet of those who came into the house. It was a personal gesture of welcome to refresh those entering the residence.

It is noticeable that this woman approached Jesus as one who was humbling herself before Him. The position she took said to Jesus, "Just regard me as the lowest, most humble servant here."

She didn't even seek eye-contact with Him, since, in order to minister to His feet she had to kneel behind Him.

The book of James advises us to approach God humbly, like this:
7. So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8. And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners, and let your hearts be filled with God alone to make them pure and true to him.
9. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and sincere grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
10. Then when you realize your worthlessness before the Lord, he will lift you up, encourage and help you.
(James 4 Living Bible)

This is what this woman did that day.

Prayer:
Father, today I humble myself before You.
I understand that my sinful lifestyle and independent attitude have been a stumbling block between You and me, so I lay them down.
Have mercy upon me as I submit to You and Your will for my life today,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.