The Love Equation

Imagine This

Two people owe money to the same lender. One owes hundreds. The other owes millions. Neither can pay.

Then the lender does something unexpected. He completely cancels both debts.

Both walk away owing nothing, but which one do you think feels more overwhelmed by what just happened?

Jesus once asked almost exactly that same question.

Read Together

Read Luke 7:40–43 together.

As you read, notice that although the debts are different sizes, neither debtor can repay what he owes.

Scripture Overview

Jesus was invited to eat at a Pharisee named Simon’s house. While they were eating, a woman known in the community for her sinful life entered the house.

She began weeping at Jesus' feet, wiping them with her hair, kissing them, and pouring perfume on them.

Simon watched and silently judged her. Jesus knew what he was thinking, so He told Simon a parable.

Two men owed the same lender money. One owed 500 denarii and the other 50. Neither could pay, so the lender forgave both debts.

Jesus asked Simon which debtor would love the lender more.

Simon answered, "The one who had the bigger debt forgiven."

Jesus said he was right.

Then Jesus pointed to the woman. Simon had offered Jesus little hospitality, while she had shown Him extraordinary love.

Simon saw a sinful woman.

Jesus saw someone who understood how much she had been forgiven.

That's the love equation:

The more deeply we understand God's forgiveness, the more deeply we love Him.

The lesson isn't that some people need forgiveness while others don't. Neither debtor could pay.

When we minimize our own sin, we also minimize the grace we've received. But when we understand the size of our debt, we begin to understand the greatness of God's mercy.

Jesus said:

"Whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Talk About It

Why did the woman respond to Jesus so differently from Simon?

What is important about the fact that neither debtor could repay his debt?

Why can recognizing our own sin increase our love for Jesus?

How can we become so familiar with God's forgiveness that we begin taking it for granted?

Practice This Week

Spend some time thinking about what God has forgiven you for.

Don't do this to make yourself feel guilty. Do it to remember how much grace you have received.

Then thank Jesus specifically for His forgiveness.

The more clearly we see our debt, the more clearly we see His mercy.

And the more we understand His mercy, the more we will love the One who forgave us.

Prayer

God, thank You for forgiving a debt we could never repay. Forgive us for noticing the sins of others while minimizing our own.

Help us understand the greatness of Your mercy so that our gratitude and love for You continue to grow.

Never let us become so familiar with grace that we forget how extraordinary it is.

In Jesus' name, Amen.