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“If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner” (Luke 7:39).

If she came through the door
and said, Jesus,
would He turn and see
too much in her eyes?

If she knelt to wash His feet,
her tears, her hands, her hair
colliding at His hem,

would the men say, Woman,
you have no business here?

Did she cry at their contempt
or because she knew—
this was the first man she ever knelt before
who didn’t hold his sin against her?

Voices sailed across the room
that night like stones,
because they also knew.

—Toni McNeilly

Dear Reader,

You have a decision to make: double or nothing.

For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.

In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.

So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?

Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
GIVE NOW