Simon the Pharisee knew only some of the sins of the woman in the city, which was a sinner, and condemned her. He thought that, if the Lord Jesus really were a prophet, He would know she was a sinner and angrily send her away.
But the Lord Jesus knew all her sins. What did He do? Instead of sending her away in anger, He spoke these blessed, peace-giving words: Thy sins are forgiven. . . . Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:48, 5048And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (Luke 7:48)
50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:50).)
Years ago there was a long, severe winter in England. The river Thames was frozen over for weeks. People built streets of shops over the icy surface, and there was driving and buying and merriment upon the solid, glass-like river.
But one night suddenly the thaw set in and the ice heaved and cracked and broke away in chunks. Booths and merchandise were hurled down the flood.
Suppose that some citizen had said, “It would be nicer to live in the beautiful ice street than in the narrow, dirty lane where I live now,” and then moved all his furniture and his family into a new house built on the frozen river. What would have become of him and his family and possessions that night?
Such a supposition only goes to show the foolishness of living for the present only. Wisdom does not lay up treasures on earth, but in heaven, and says, “Soon I must be done with earth, and heaven abides.”
“The World Passeth Away”