Grace and peace to you from God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

I want to share this little story I received in an email from a friend in Colorado. You may have seen or heard this already but it really speaks to the way things are in our world.

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that", asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that", asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

No, the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist, exclaimed the barber. That's what happens when people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer, "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!"

That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

Our readings for today really speak to this very point. When we decide to take matters into our own hands there are consequences. We also find that God pours out forgiveness on us even when we turn away.

David was a great king not of his own doing but because of David's love for God. David stumbles though and turns to sin. Nathan the prophet is sent by God to challenge David. Nathan used a parable to open David's eyes to his sin. When David is confronted by Nathan he immediately admits to his sin. Most would deny their actions outright but David readily admits to his. In return Nathan announces that God had forgiven David's sins. What a relief David must have felt at that moment.

Unfortunately for David, in the verses that were omitted from the reading we find out there are also dire consequences for David's error.

Then in Luke we read about the woman anointing Jesus with perfume. The woman's actions toward Jesus might not seem that extraordinary in the context of our time whether we think it is appropriate or not. However, in the context of first century Judea the woman's actions toward Jesus were scandalous. Luke identifies her as "a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town." For her to touch a prophet was scandal let alone anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, kissing his feet, allowing her tears to wet his feet, and using her hair to dry his feet.

In this scene we have Simon the Pharisee, a religious stalwart that is open minded enough to invite a traveling rabbi with a new teaching to dinner. We have Jesus reclining at the table in discussion with Simon. And we have the woman behind Jesus doing what are considered scandalous things. Her actions are way outside the bounds of how men and women interacted in first century Judea.

We read that Simon is judgmental of the woman and of Jesus for allowing her to touch him. Jesus is gracious to the woman and accepting of her attention because he knows her heart. Ironically the woman has shown Jesus the hospitality his host should have shown him. And as Nathan did with David, Jesus uses a parable to get his point across to Simon.

The consequence of the womens errors is to be an outcast. What a relief the woman must have felt as Jesus accepted her attention rather than despising and shunning her as others had done. Relief so strong it opened a floodgate of love.

The important question is, what drives this woman's passionate actions toward Jesus

Its forgiveness, the sacrificial and beautiful love which God has for all people, despite their sins. She weeps and attends to Jesus out of incredible gratitude for the forgiveness of her sins.

Have you ever really forgiven someone or really been forgiven?

It opens a floodgate of love.

It really is a tough challenge to forgive especially when you see the same pattern of behavior over and over. When it's in your own family it's doubly hard because you are acutely aware of the effects it has on others in the family.

If we don't follow David's example and own up to our own sins, we cannot own up to the forgiveness that God has given us either. If we have not received that gift of forgiveness, we have none to offer. Instead of having joyful relationships we become sour moral bean counters tracking every affront to us and every one of our good deeds that goes unnoticed.

I'll admit at times I'm as guilty of this as anyone. As hard as I try to resist it I pull out the scorecard and add hash marks from time to time.

At times like that God crushes us with the law of words and circumstances not as an end but as a beginning. I've found myself crushed laying flat on my back, maybe you have too. Looking up from that perspective is not a bad place to be, especially when you see the smiling face of Jesus extending his hand to pick you up again.

God does not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world. The woman's sins were great, but Christ's forgiveness for her was greater than her sins. No sin is greater than Christ's forgiveness, so we don't need to be afraid to own up to our own sinfulness. Yes there are consequences to our sins but Christ's forgiveness helps us leave the baggage behind and move on.

Imagine if every member of every church was not afraid to own up to their sins and realized the full forgiveness Christ offers. The floodgates of love would be wide open.

The joy would spill into the streets. We would invite everyone to come and join in the celebration. Instead of there being dwindling congregations we couldn't keep people away. This passion is the foundation of the Christian church.

Whether you are standing upright in life or crushed and flat on your back, take a good look upward to see a smiling face and helping hand. Grab hold of that hand. Then join in with others by pulling out your scorecard and tearing it up.

In the Name of Our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.