37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—she’s a sinner!” (Luke 7:37-39 CSB)

The beauty of this passage is clear; the woman knew the depts of her sin and intrensicly knew Jesus’ welcoming love. She fell at His feet and began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair displaying her lowly state as a sinner. All of which Jesus knew.

But it is the hyprocacy of the Pharisee’s which stands out as well. She was reclining at their table, obviously well known and welcome there. She well may have been a test of Jesus, but the double standard is clear.

The further beauty of this passage and the sharp contrast comes later when Jesus says, “44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in.”

When we live by a double standard we should be clear that it is often far more visible than we imagine. Isn’t it easier to abide by a single way of treating others?