Flattening a Curve

The most used phrase of 2020 is bound to be "flattening the curve". Seriously, it is in every news bulletin, politicians speech, print headline (and now the title of this blog - ah, the irony). Before this year I had literally never heard the phrase, and to be honest, it took me a good few days to even understand exactly what it meant. Well, this same phrase has been going around in my head regarding a completely unrelated idea and so I felt compelled to write on it. Hang on until the end because it does somewhat connect. At least, I hope it does!

Let me start back when I was a young girl. I was raised by my mum who was the most generous and excellent host (click here to read more on this wonderful woman). Because we had people in our home so often for meals, we were raised with equally excellent manners. Sitting still, elbows off the table, sitting up straight, listening with your eyes and showing genuine interest in topics never heard of before, pleases and thankyous aplenty, engaging in conversation with guests, cutlery together once finished, and then a public acknowledgement of appreciation for the cook's efforts. Whilst I would have never admitted this as a child, it is one of the very best skills we were taught as children... and I am now attempting to pass these same qualities down to my children. We were really quite wonderful children at the dinner table and sometimes I had the strong urge to begin singing from the score of "The Sound of Music" just to really take things to the next level. And yet, these stupendous manners and perfect dinner party etiquette conflict rudely with my most favourite story in the bible. That is, the most personally profound encounter with Jesus.

This most profound story is the moment where an unnamed woman approaches Jesus during a dinner party. Not only was she not invited, she leaps social boundaries like an Olympic hurdler. This woman enters into a place in which she is not socially accepted and the high-standing hosts and guests look at her with disdain and mockery. Take a moment to read the passage yourself (I have added my own emphasis) :

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When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:35-50

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The undignified, reckless encounter that this woman has with Jesus has always deeply effected me. She knows who Jesus is and she has no shame in approaching him, even in the presence of religious leaders. As she enters into the home, she draws close and stands behind Jesus, overcome with emotion. Utterly weeping. I'm not surprised - tears often spring into my eyes when I sense the presence of Jesus. Tears of sorrow for my brokenness and unworthiness. Tears of gratitude for his goodness and transformation that makes me worthy. I have no doubt that she would have felt the same. And she cried so heavily that her tears began to wet his feet, and they wouldn't stop because her heart was completely overflowing. Then, in a continued act of humility, she sank to her knees and lowered her head to the floor so that she could wipe his feet with her hair. She becomes more personal, more humble, more sacrificial in her expression before Jesus. She was willing to give more and more - her all. And Jesus did not pull away. He didn't scold her or make her feel foolish or inappropriate. No, Jesus received her baptism of tears wholeheartedly, recognising this heartfelt expression for what it was - worship, pure and raw. To be humbled to the point of public humiliation and yet still have a response of complete surrender astounds me. This woman, who many believe to be Mary Magdalene (a woman with a very broken past), no longer clings to her shame but rather brings it literally to Jesus feet. And what does Jesus do with it - transforms her shame into honour.

I know what it is like to pour out everything at the feet of Jesus, wholly and undignified. And while others may snicker and sneer at the sheer thought of that, Jesus has never pulled away. So much around me asks me to be strong, to be proud, to hide my weaknesses, to erase my brokenness. But not at the feet of Jesus. Here in this place, I am SEEN and ACKNOWLEDGED and DEFENDED. As is Mary Magdalene. It is completely counter-intuitive, but through her undignified act of worship she is honoured and lifted up. Jesus allows her to be seen, despite her stature usually erasing her from societies view. But at this dinner, she is not erased. She is honoured.

I was reading the words of John the baptist this morning and this phrase stood out to me... "Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth." (Luke 2:5) Here John is reciting the prophesy from Isaiah that proclaims and declares the coming of the Lord, his cousin Jesus. And it occurred to me today that this is exactly what Jesus is about - he is about flattening the curve of society - the hierarchical curve that elevates some into a position of power and might, and quashes others into nameless beings. And this is exactly what Jesus does in the context of this dinner party. Not only does he honour a broken and desperate woman by lifting her up and revealing her heart of worship, but he rebukes the religious leader and by doing so lowers his stature as a hard-hearted and self-righteous host. Jesus contrasts Mary's actions with the Pharisee's who did not even offer to wash his feet, which was at the time a common courtesy toward a guest. He reveals the pride and judgemental attitude within the host and therefore his unrepentant heart. Jesus removes the shame from the woman and places it upon the Pharisee - lifting up the lowly and humbling the proud. He is flattening their status to equalise their humanity.

"Jesus is about flattening the hierarchical curve of society"

Now each time I hear this phrase I am not only going to remind myself of the important efforts our society and world are making to flatten the curve of the virus, but even more importantly I will remind myself of this profound topsy turvy ministry of Jesus. May our world be just as focused and dedicated to this cause and curve - even more so.