The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Not even sure of what to write. I start and edit and stop and delete. Today is an interesting day as JK releases her newest project. After an 8 year hiatus and true “coming out”, she now stands with a new project. To be honest, some of my recent judgmental feelings come from an internal response to this. Do I “accept” her interpretations of “the sacred texts” or is it even up to me to “accept” or not? I do understand that I am not the Great Judge. So, I can leave much of the finality of that to Him.
I do acknowledge that perhaps some of this comes from the “jealous” part of being judgmental. It’s hard to sit back on the other side of the Jordan, climb up Mount Nebo to watch the people cross over into the promised land. There are times “I wish…” I were still involved in some way in her life. In many ways, I realize God spared us from untold/unseen struggles had we continued on with her. So, for that, I am thankful.
How did Jesus do what He did? In that simple short exchange, he extended grace and mercy to the woman and yet was also jugding, in a non-condemning way. How can we do the same? I have this picture of Jesus in my mind that’s hard to explain. Fodder for another post…
Again, I have these thoughts that aren’t necessarily coming out the prolific way I had intended. I pray for JK to not see things as I see them, as I am flawed just like the rest. I pray that she sees as Jesus truly sees.
And I pray that in all things, I won’t be the first to throw stones.
