Jesus always has something to say to you about your life.

Jesus Always Has Something to Say to You About Your Life

Posted on by Michele Morin

Sunday Scripture

Criticism is hard to hear. Even if it is well-intentioned and comes from someone who is qualified to critique my work, it has taken a long time for me to learn that criticism is more helpful to me than praise, because it will, ultimately, result in improvement and growth–if I receive the criticism as a gift.

Simon the Pharisee was in a bind, a socially awkward situation, and he wasn’t handling it well at all. He had invited Jesus into his home, and who should show up right at dinner time but “a woman of the city,” polite parlance for a prostitute. It’s doubtful that Simon gave a second thought to the woman’s tears. She was in his house bringing her reputation and spiritual “contamination” with her, and if there had been power washers in that day, Simon would have been renting one for his house that very moment.

As she opened her flask of fragrant ointment and anointed Jesus’s feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, the awkwardness in the room would have been palpable. Picture Simon, pacing his anxiety across the room, and then in The Office sitcom style, looking at the camera and saying, ““If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 

Of course, Jesus overheard the aside, and, even though it’s over two thousand years later, his reply stops me in my tracks this very day:

“Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Luke 7:40

This is true of all of us. Jesus always has something to say to you about your life. Simon must have been a lot more confident than I am, because his reply was simply, “Say it.” Is it possible he was so aware of the sins of his uninvited guest that he didn’t pick up on Jesus’s displeasure with him?

As he often did, Jesus cut to the chase with an illustrative story:

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred days’ wages, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:41, 42)

Simon’s reply reveals a certain reluctance. “Well… I suppose the one who had the larger debt.” Maybe Simon sees what’s coming? We aren’t privy to the outcome of Simon’s interaction with Jesus. It’s possible he went on to a life of greater compassion because Jesus had “something to say to him,” and he heard it well. Sadly, it is also likely that he failed to allow Jesus’s words to change the direction of his life.

Everyday, I want to realize how much I have been forgiven. It’s much too easy to take it all for granted. Like Paul, when we realize our strong qualifications for the “chief of sinners” award, we are moved to love God more because, like the woman in Luke 7, we live in awareness of our need. When, through his Word, I sense Jesus saying, “Michele, I have something to say to you,” I want to listen well and be changed by his words.

Grace and Peace to You,

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

54 thoughts on “Jesus Always Has Something to Say to You About Your Life”

  4. It’s so easy to ignore certain sins and pretend they’re not so bad–at least for me. Thank you for reminding me that even Paul described himself as the chief of sinners. If living in awareness of my desperate need of God’s mercy and grace–for every offense–will move me to love God more, why do I want to pretend? The answer is pride–one of the ugliest sins of all. Thank you, Michele, for giving me new light to shine in the dark corners of my heart (where pride likes to hide)!

    Liked by 2 people

  7. I appreciate this so much…realizing again that the Lord has something to say to me! “Am I listening with a heart desiring to hear and change?” That is a question to ponder.

    Liked by 2 people

  10. I agree with the others: If only we will listen. Imagine, every day Jesus Himself is saying, “I have something to say to you.” Lord, help us make time and listen.

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Love this. I try to approach my time in the Word with “What do you have to say to me?” rather than just working through my routine. It’s sad that I need frequent reminders of that, but I’m thankful for them.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. I’m intrigued by what I think of as the sad seriousness of Jesus’ words to Simon. How I hope Simon took his words to heart. May I be willing to listen and learn when Jesus has something to say to me!

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I love your idea of
    receiving “the criticism as a gift”!
    Have you seen the first season of “The Chosen” yet? One young Pharisee is named Shimon (I wonder if a future season will feature this story), and I can just imagine his caring more about his reputation and his house being “contaminated” than about the needs of this woman.
    Yes, we surely would do well to listen when Jesus has something to say to us!

    Liked by 2 people

  15. ********************************************************
    Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
    ********************************************************

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Michele,
    I’m not proud to admit this, but often when Jesus wants to speak contructive criticism into my life, my first inclination is to try to squirm out of it by rationalizing. I can be quite good at it. Thankfully, He persists in His loving way to leave me a little better than He found me. I know He’ll be speaking truth into my life until the day I leave this earth.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    Like

  17. I love how so much of the Bible ties together. In this case, I am reminded of the Parable of the Sower. I wonder did the seeds of Jesus’ words fall on rocky ground and not grow or did they fall onto good soil and grow well. You have to hope that Simon was the ‘good soil’ and his life was changed by Jesus’ message to him and like wise I hope that we too are the ‘good soil’
    #GlobalBlogging

    Liked by 1 person

  18. I love the little details you add to bring the story to life – I’m smiling at the power washer and the Office reference! This is a great reminder of how criticism can be so important in helping us grow.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. I love how you looked so vulnerably–considering yourself–while looking at a man who was much more vulnerable than he ever realized, Michele. I, too, hope that Jesus’ words sunk in and helped him to realize his need for Jesus’ wisdom and compassion. Great word and challenge, my friend, as always!

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Isn’t it interesting that we often see other’s sin but not necessarily our own in the monent, just like Simon. I love how patient Jesus is with us but also doesn’t hold back when we need to hear His correction!
    Bless you,
    Jennifer

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Thank you for this, Michele. I often focus more on what I need or want to say to other people. In my quest to improve my listening skills, I’m realizing I also need to be more aware of those times when the still, small Voice says, “Lois, I have something to say to you.”

    Liked by 1 person

  24. I hope I’m listening Michele amidst all the chaos that surrounds me. I live in a very noise household at the moment which leaves my mind very preoccupied most of the time. But I do sit with my daughters each night and we sit and say prayers together after their bedtime story. That is a nice quiet reflective time for all of us which I enjoy. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us at #globalblogging!

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Yesterday I was asking friends, “What do you really think” of a from-scratch recipe I made up – because I needed the truth, not kindness to spare my feelings. Sparing my feelings would not help me meet the goal I had set with this recipe. It’s easier to receive truth about a cake recipe than truth about my soul. Trying to bravely listen and hear the truth of what He has to say to me!

    Liked by 1 person

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