The poor in spirit are those who know how wretched they really are and because of this, they know how great a gift their salvation through Jesus truly is. In Luke 7: 36-48 Jesus gives us a lesson about this very thing.

³⁶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
³⁷ And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
³⁸ And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
It is said in Jewish traditions that an alabaster box is purchased for a young girl, and it’s filled with expensive perfumed ointments. This box is a symbol of her hopes and dreams for her life, and when she meets a man she wishes to marry, she will break open the box before him as if to say her hopes and dreams are surrendered to him. There is also a custom among certain Jewish people of collecting every tear the person sheds in their lifetime in a small vial that hangs around their neck. This is done in remembrance of Psalms 56:8 “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” It is a way to keep a remembrance of a person’s sorrows and is extremely valuable to the person who owns it.
I believe this woman came in, bowed before Jesus… then washed his feet… possible emptying the vial of tears she had collected in her lifetime on them… then used her hair to dry his feet…. showered them with her kisses, then broke open her box of alabaster filled with expensive ointments…. a symbol of her hopes and dreams….and anointed Jesus’s feet.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

In my mind I can see this Simon fellow sitting there with his mouth agape…trying to absorb a couple of things… 1)In verse 39 Simon THOUGHT…of Jesus “ if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.“…. so he got the realization that Jesus knew what manner of woman she was…. and what manner of man he was , complete with his thoughts. 2) This woman showed more honor to Jesus than Simon had and once Jesus got done pointing out to Simon how much more love and reverence he received from this woman than he did Simon, Simon was now aware of his failings…and the woman was given honor for her actions. She received forgiveness because she knew how sinful she was…. she understood, and she showed love and gratitude to Jesus for his mercy. This isn’t an argument for works… it’s a testament of how gratitude and love follow grace and mercy…proportionately.

This woman who grieved her wretched sin….and poured it all out at the feet of Jesus found forgiveness and salvation.

I can’t share the testimony of my salvation without being moved to tears…. there is no story more valuable to me, I cry when I share it… I cry when I think about it….it moves me with gratitude….and I offer every one of my tears to Jesus in gratitude for saving my soul.