Glowing Orange (Luke 7)

Has forgiveness touched you deep enough to break through the externals of your life?

I remember when Lorelai was quite little, about 2 or so, we took her into the doctor for a check up. Everything was running along smoothly. Our doctor had a med student with him and he asked a rather strange question of his student, "Do you notice anything about the color of Lorelai's skin?" The student thought for a moment and then said, "She seems a little orange." The doctor told the student he was correct and then asked, "Why do you think she is a little orange?" Then the student hypothesized Lorelai may have been eating too many orange colored foods, specifically carrots. The doctor confirmed this hypothesis with a question to us. Sure enough it was true Lorelai's favorite food at this point in time was carrots and she was willing to eat them so we were willing to feed them too her.

What a strange day at the doctor's office, you baby is turning orange from eating so many carrots, you might want to back off of the carrots.

Luke chap 7 is kind of a proof chapter of who Jesus was. He didn't prove who he was through his words, it just kind of came out to the surface in his actions. A centurion seeks healing for his servant, Jesus heals him from a distance. Jesus sees the sorrow of a morning mother for the loss of her son. His heart is moved towards her. He compassion is turned into action and he raises the boy to life. John's disciples come with the question of whether Jesus is the messiah or if they are waiting for someone else. Jesus heals, gives sight to the blind, casts out demons, cures all manner of sickness. He tells John's disciples to share with John the things they have seen. Who Jesus is flows out in his actions.

At the end of this chapter we see this outward expression of love coming back too Jesus. The woman, the sinful woman, comes in to wash the feet of Jesus. Simon shows his true colors by judging both Jesus and the woman. Jesus asks Simon who loves more the one who has been forgiven more or less? The one forgiven more is the obvious answer. Jesus tells Simon, "this woman has been forgiven much so she loves much."

Forgiveness has gotten into the depths of this woman's soul. She knows she is deeply forgiven and so who she is comes out in what she does. Compassion and love come pouring out of her forgiven depths. If forgiveness were carrots this woman is glowing orange!

What is in the depths of our hearts? In just the previous chapter Jesus teaches if there is good stored up in our hearts then good will come out, if there is evil, bitterness, and loathing stored up in our hearts then those things will come out. What are we storing up? Are we holding on to old grudges and injuries in the past then bitterness will flow from out hearts and into the lives of those around us through our actions.

Have we allowed the forgiveness of Christ to soak down deep into every fiber of our beings? Because if we have it will come flowing out in every interaction we have with those around us. We will glow orange from the inside out.

May we open ourselves up to be saturated with the love of God today, so the proof of Jesus Messiah and his forgiveness will come out to the rest of the world through the actions of his people.