at bay

Saturday June 11^th, Luke 7:  44 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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."  48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  She was not any greater sinner than Simon was.  Simon was not any more righteous than she was.  The only difference between the two was that she was aware of her sin and therefore open to forgiveness.  Simon on the other hand, not so much.  How do we try to keep the grace of God at bay? What self-respecting and self-absorbed goodness do we use to keep most of God out of our lives?  What would be the cost to let it go and graciously accept God’s grace?