Jun
What was Farrah?
There is a lot of talk about Michael Jackson’s untimely death that the news seems to forget (though it is hard to overlook the one for the other) that another major star died tragically at the age of 62.
But, what was Farrah?
Was she a sex symbol? A serious actress (she portrayed marvelously a character in the Burning Bed)? A bimbo? A tramp? Just a pinup? An alcoholic? A drug addict? An enabler? A cancer victim? A tragedy?
Something jumped out at me from one of my favourite texts in the Bible as I was preparing for my morning sermon this week.
The text is Luke 7:36-50 where Jesus is invited to a Pharisee’s home and all of a sudden a woman with a reputation shows up, wipes Jesus’ feet with tears, the Pharisee is repulsed by the woman and by Jesus while Jesus then announces her forgiven because she loves God so much.
However, what jumped out at me was this:
the ‘good’ people of Jesus’ day had great classifications for certain people (not unlike so many in our days who have the tendency to call people by labels or past actions: you know: ‘divorced’, ‘gay’ etc)
The classifications were like this: ‘tax collectors, gentiles, Samaritans & sinners.’
What is interesting to me is that all Jews knew they were all guilty of some sin but for whatever reason there were a group of people who bore the special title! Christians have to be careful today of the same mistake: we say ‘forgive us of our sins’ and then look at others and classify them in an entirely different category. Need to read again a line that goes something like this: ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23)
Well, anyways, Luke actually in the narrative calls this woman a ’sinner’ (7:37). Don’t say Luke was using it as a universal term–but I believe Luke was calling her what the culture of the day would have called her. How horrible to belong to the group known as ’sinners’. What happens is you might end up believing it yourself. This is who you are after all.
The Pharisee also calls her a ’sinner’ (7:39). He too, is not using it in the universal way (the way it should only be used). Don’t come near me–you are a sinner. Go with your own, you sinner! What can you expect from someone like this, for she is a sinner.
Watch Jesus however. He admits she has done a lot of sins (7:47)–which would lead all of us to measure our own amount of sins given the years we have lived–how many times have we done something wrong in our lives? Under 10? Under 10,000? Countless? Jesus however never calls her a ’sinner’ like the rest of the world does but recognizes her heart as a heart waiting to love greatly.
So, what was Farrah?
Here’s one for you–the next time you see a woman who has done a lot of sins–maybe instead of labeling her (you know the words, ‘whore’, ‘tramp’, ’sleaze’) maybe you are looking at someone who could actually possess a heart capable of a great love and instead of turning your nose up at such an individual it is time to bow your head and pray for the right amount of grace to look at yourself truly and then deal with the other lovingly.
God Bless and Have a Good Day