If there was anything Jesus despised, it was stinginess, especially the holding back of oneself. If there was anything he admired, it was extravagance, especially the extravagance of love.

There are really only two ways to live. You can live as if this is the last drop, and there won't be anymore; or you can live as if there is more where this came from. We can live out of scarcity, or we can live out of abundance. In the story from Luke's Gospel, we see these two approaches in conflict.

My Bible has this caption above the story, "A Sinful Woman Forgiven." But that's only half of the story. The story could also be labeled, "A Religious Man All Wrapped Up In Himself." This is one of the most beautiful stories in the New Testament. It's one of my personal favorites. It asks us to consider …