A man once told me he feared that his pride was too deep to be forgiven. To illustrate his sinfulness, he said that when driving to church in his new car he secretly hoped people would notice.

He knew the Bible well, so I tried to assure him that we all have problems with pride. I reminded him of his good qualities and prayed with him. Not surprisingly, I didn't help him very much.

Looking back on that incident, I realize I should have agreed that his pride was indeed a serious sin. Then we could have discussed the wonder of God's forgiveness as revealed in the Bible--not minimizing the sin but magnifying the grace.

That's what Jesus did after being anointed by a woman whose immoral lifestyle was well-known. He didn't excuse her sins but acknowledged them as "many." Her lavish gift showed gratitude for the magnitude of her forgiveness. Jesus noted, "To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little" (Lk. 7:47). Such people know neither the depths of their sinfulness nor the awesomeness of God's forgiveness.

The next time the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, confess it immediately. Then praise God for the wonder of His forgiving grace and the scope of His embracing love.  — Herbert Vander Lugt