2 women, 2 circumstances

Luk 8:43
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Luk 8:44
Came behind [him], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luk 8:45
And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press [thee], and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luk 8:46
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Luk 8:47
And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
Luk 8:48
And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

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Mar 5:24
And [Jesus] went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
Mar 5:25
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Mar 5:26
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
Mar 5:27
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mar 5:28
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

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Luk 7:36
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.
Luk 7:37
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,
Luk 7:38
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.

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Two women. These 2 women have always intrigued me. Maybe because they both came so close to Jesus. Both came to Him with a need. The woman with the issue of blood had a life threatening disease. She had spent all that she had so she was now poor as well. She was probably somewhat of a recluse due to the nature of her disease. But she heard that Jesus was in town. He was walking the streets. She knew what kind of power He had. She knew that just one touch would heal her. Could she fight through the crowd that surrounded Him. Could she face all those people to get her healing she so desperately needed? How far was she willing to go? If she could crawl along the ground, just to grasp the hem of Jesus' garment, she knew healing would come. She had such a need she was willing to humble herself, and face many people who would probably look down on her for her desperation. She knew she had to touch Him. Oh, if we could be so hungry for touching Jesus.

On the other hand we have a more quiet scene. We have a woman with a past. She has done many things wrong with her life. But she has heard the Master is going to dinner with a Pharisee. She has heard where He would be at a certain time. I don't know how many people were at dinner that night but I know it was quieter. The people were not thronging around Him. Jesus sat at meat. Maybe a nice meal before Him. Some chit chat going on. Some teaching occurring. Then she walks in. She starts with the tears as she approaches His feet from behind. Just His presence brings her what she needed to feel. But she does not stop there. She proceeds to wipe His feet with her hair. Then brakes open the very thing that cost her all her earnings for the past year. Maybe it took her longer than that to save up for this moment. She poured out all that she had saved up onto Jesus. She was not only going to receive a blessing from the Lord but in turn she would give to Him her offerings, her all.

2 women in 2 different circumstances. Both beautiful stories of how we should live our lives. How we should focus on touching Jesus. If you only had that 1 moment in time to touch Him, would you only touch the hem of His garment? Or would you take your tears and pour them on His feet, wipe them off with your hair and follow that with pouring out your lifetime of possessions? Would you crawl through thousands of people, amongst the crowd, to touch Him or would you wait for a quiet time to bless Him with your offering?