Joel M Bradshaw

39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “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.”…

...48And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”–Luke 7 (with emphasis)

I see two options here:

1. YOUR PAST DEFINES YOU. Who you were. What you’ve done. The mistakes you’ve made. The people you hurt. Your great many failings. These are what define you according to people like the Pharisee in this story. ‘You never will be able to get past your past’ is what our shame tells us the most. You are forever a sinner and that defines you most.
2. JESUS AND HIS WORK DEFINE YOU. Jesus no doubt knew this woman’s past. But just as he understood the Pharisee’s thoughts, he understood the woman’s brokenness. He could tell if her humility was real. And it truly was, for Jesus recognized her actions as FAITH. Her past no longer defined her, but Jesus did. And he no longer proclaimed her sinner, but FORGIVEN. This story always makes me cry. I see myself as that woman who was forgiven much. Her shame was disarmed by Jesus and now she could go in peace.

Trust that Jesus forgives. Trust your story to the only one who can give you the peace that you crave. Stay humble before Jesus. The irony of this story is that the Pharisee was just as much of a sinner as the woman with a past. The Pharisee no doubt had a past as well. To all my depressed friends who suffer underneath the burden of their shame, know that Jesus has the power to disarm what hurts you most, to reset your story.–JMB