I'm looking again at the quote below the title of my blog, "A Desperate Kind of Faithful".
By way of explanation, I have in truth done the hermeneutically unthinkable and have combined two stories into one narrative, mixing and matching characters to form an idea. There are two foot anointing stories in the gospels. One at the pharisee Simon's party (Lk 7:36-50) and the other at the home of Mary and Martha in Bethany.
I said, "This humiliating, messy, desperate attempt at kindness is my kind of story. It illustrates the only kind of faith that fits me." And as I think about it I realize it actually fits someone who I often think about quite negatively. The truth of the matter is that I'm more often the Pharisee Simon or (the money man Judas in ) in this story. I complain about the finances. I'm perturbed about someone who interrupts things, gets in Jesus way, spends lavishly on feet that will get dirty again, and makes a scene. I'd like to think I'm the woman, but I fear I'm often Simon. I judge in an instant actions which I can hardly interpret because I'm not a part of the intimate action, and I, unlike Jesus, know neither the motives nor the semblance involved. This person I'm thinking about is more active with their loving action than with their words. He trips over his tongue, the words come out all wrong, he sounds angry, misguided, repellent. But in action he is the quickest to clean up a spill. He wants to know just where to help and how. He works behind the scenes doing many things I know nothing about. I only truly know my brothers and sisters here in community through Jesus Christ.
I'm not telling who this person is I'm thinking about. Its not you so don't ask.
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