Huge Debt

Luke 7:40-43  Jesus spoke up and said to him,“Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him,“You have judged rightly.” 


Jesus in this passage implies that we love him in proportion to the debt we owed. In spiritual terms that is the quantity of the sin we need or needed forgiven. I do know many people who don't love him because they don't know or believe that he died to pay the debt for their sins. Now I don't want people to run out and sin, sin, sin, so they can love Jesus more. On the other hand it is easier to humble yourself and seek the grace Jesus offers so freely, when we recognize our sinful nature and our deep need for his forgiveness. Being one of the ones who strayed far from the straight and narrow, it was perhaps easier for me to see my need, and at the same time experience the huge change in my life when I was forgiven, that profound relief, that did create a powerful love for him.

So how do good people get to that place of seeing their need for Jesus? Having not been their myself I don't know the answer. I think we all need to love God with all our heart, not part of it, and if having been so far from him, like the one who owed much, was a help than I'm thankful, but I want everyone to know the wonderful transformation that comes with such forgiveness. Isn't any debt that can keep us at arms length from God a great (large) debt? Is it a problem that you can't see yourself in such need because you compare yourself to the really bad folk and can't accept that your need is as great as theirs? Let's face it we all have such huge debt compared to the one who came to bring us home.