After a game, most of us have a pretty good sense of how we played. Some of us feel great about how we played and that may make us feel good about ourselves. Some of us may feel like we messed up, and that may make us feel bad about ourselves. A lot of that belief is rooted in how we imagine others think we’ve played. A lot of life can feel like this: we are always getting judged and how we see our performance shapes the way we think about who we are and how we feel about ourselves.

I’m going to tell you a story today from the Bible about Jesus. 

• Jesus was eating dinner at someone’s house. This person was a respected, religious man and his name was Simon.

• While they were eating, a woman comes in. Everyone there knew her reputation. She had made a lot of bad choices and people looked down on her.

• She didn’t say anything, she just walked up to Jesus and started crying.

• As her tears fell on his feet, she wiped them with her hair, and then she poured perfume on them.

• The man who owned the house was watching this and inside was saying to himself, “If Jesus knew what kind of woman this is, he would not let her touch him.”

• But Jesus knows exactly who she is and he embraces her with open arms because she comes to him in faith, demonstrating love for him despite her past failures..

Let’s turn to the Bible and read how Jesus responds to Simon, the religious man.

“‘Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven… Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”

What I’d like you to take away from this story is the following:

• In that room there were two kinds of people: one who looked perfect from the outside and didn’t think he needed help, and one whose life was far from perfect but knew she needed help. Which one are you today?

• God is not looking for perfect people because perfect people don’t exist. He welcomes all people, no matter how imperfect they are, as long as they come to him in faith.

• When we have a relationship we Jesus, we do not need to pretend or to try to act holy, Jesus is pleased with us when we come to him as we are, no matter what our performance has been.

As we wrap up today, I hope you’ll join us and stay for dinner. A question to consider as we come and eat together: “Where do you feel most comfortable to be yourself and not have to impress anyone?”