It involves honoring those with the worst reputations:



"… Gentlemen, we treat the ladies like Jesus treated this woman. He didn’t in any way transition her affection or her vulnerability toward impropriety. He loved her like a sister. Gentlemen, there will be in our midst and in your life vulnerable women who are hurting and broken and they will trust you. Treat them like Jesus treated this woman.

If you’re a guy who is sleeping with his girlfriend, cheating on his wife, downloading porn, going to massage parlors, hanging out at strip clubs, you are part of a culture of abuse and violence. You are part of a culture of rape and slavery and disease and oppression. And if you belong to Jesus, you are to bring healing and life. You are not to bring suffering and death. And I rejoice at the way that Jesus treated this woman, and it is a glorious example of how we men are to honor and treat all women, especially those who have the worst reputations and perhaps are the most vulnerable.

And for you ladies, we see it is OK to be honest. It’s OK to be passionate. It’s OK to weep. It’s OK to serve Jesus. It’s OK to be honest about who you are and what Christ has done."

As a complement, here’s one Christian woman’s personal response to hearing this passage, from Ballard Deacon Jen Smidt:

As I reflect on the memory from long ago, even now my heart races and my cheeks burn hot.  Preaching to a roomful of women, I heard a pastor berate promiscuous women for their foolish ways and sexual sin, calling them worse than prostitutes.  He said prostitutes were at least smart enough to charge a buck for their “services”.

I remember vowing in that moment that no one would ever know the depth of my stupidity as I had freely given myself to selfish men. I was the women of ill-repute  described in Luke 7 – minus the courage to approach Jesus, weep with grief over my sin and bask in his forgiveness.  I believed I would have to go to my grave concealing those secrets.

Armed with the radically gracious news of the gospel, my husband, my pastor and my community rallied around me to speak truth, expose lies and invite repentance. They applied the healing balm of grace where guilt had reigned.

This sermon was a wonderful reminder to my heart:  I am no worse than a prostitute.  And I am definitely no better. My heart is prone to wander – tempted to fall for the lie that a temporary delight will satisfy my soul better than Jesus.  But I have tasted freedom and redemption.  I will never go back to dragging around those shackles of shame.  I am not defined by the sin of promiscuity any more. I am not dirty.  I am also not defined by the seemingly pious title of pastor’s wife that I may be prone to find value or importance in today.  I am not special.

What I am is a woman that God graciously chose to be saved by the precious blood despite my sin and in spite of my success.

I am defined by Christ.

I am free to worship him passionately.

I humbly offer my life as a sacrifice of praise for the gift of his.