The powers-that-be have just dragged her from the bed of a man to whom she is not married.
Perhaps all she is wearing is a bedsheet.
Perhaps he is one of the powers-that-be.
Nevertheless, there she stands, exposed, before her authorities. They do not care about her. They do not care about right or wrong. The have stalked her, captured her, and reduced her to the status of rubbish for one purpose: to trick a popular counselor of that day.
“The law demands this woman be stoned to death,” they announce. Then they wait. They are so sure. They have Him this time. The Man of Mercies will have to admit that mercy does not always win.
Or so they think.
He is unperturbed.
He stoops and writes in the dust. A list of their sins? Perhaps.
Do they look around themselves, worriedly, confused? Perhaps.
Meanwhile, the life of a woman hangs over eternity. Perhaps, thrown down to the ground, does she cower? Perhaps.
In a culture that forbids her uncovered state, in a land filled with huge stones, she waits, uncovered, for her stoning.
Finally the Man stands to speak. “And whoever is without sin should throw the first stone.” Then he resumes writing.
Beginning with the eldest–perhaps wisest–each man drops his gleeful attitude, drops his stone, drops his case.
Point taken.
The kind Counselor turns to ask the woman, “Where are they? Who is accusing you?”
The answer, from inside a bedsheet: “No one.”
“Neither do I condemn you.”
Notice He does not say she did not sin, but only that He does not condemn her.
She stands obviously guilty and shamed, but for her, there is now no condemnation.
Stoning is not prevalent in our society, but prostitution is. I want to ask you: How many of us have been there–a blackened past forgiven by the mercies of God?
How many of us throw away that forgiveness?
How many of us hug our sad past close and get it out to look at it and mourn over it, to relive it to its fullest?
How many of us labor with all our might to get out from under sin that no longer is over us?
How many of us, on stormy days, add to the bad past by letting it create for us bad choices, bad attitudes, bad excuses?
A bad present? Even a bad future?
Jesus asked only one thing from that woman, that day, and asks it of us, too: “Go, and sin no more.”
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This is (I repeat myself) why I love the 4th through the 9th Steps. Some of us are so burdened by our past that we need to put it all on paper and go laboriously through the mess, letting it go slowly and giving it to God, surely. The record of what I’ve released to HIm is one of the precious books in my RV. I add to it constantly when new things come up and constantly, He says, “Sin no more.” I take that stone-dropping thud with me to the next decision. He is faithful and He is removing my character defects! Amen!
Thanks so much for this observation, Heidi!
Maybe ALL of us are so burdened, but some are forced to be more honest? I love how you are keeping “no record of wrong” but rather keeping record of what is forgiven, covered by the Blood, signs of victory. What a wonderful practice!
Yes! Faithful is He who has called you and He will do it. 1Thessalonians 5:24 🙂
Kathy you have done it again! Your ability to bring the Gospels to life and make them relevant to OUR lives is beautiful! I think of this very piece of the Gospels so often. It upended the thinking of the times and, to me, really makes Jesus the Christ, stand clearly apart from the others. (OK “I am about my fathers business…’ there is that too very early on in his life but…)
I am with Heidi. I think everyone addict or not could benefit from the 4th – 9th steps. Maybe it should be a class Freshman and Senior year of high school???
Love to you both, Jen
Jen, Thanks so much for these kind words. Coming from you they mean so much to me.
Jesus Christ always was relevant, but we must have our eyes opened to see Him in all His beauty. I try harder every day to open my eyes more. So glad you also can see these things.
I am so mystified by the 4th – 9th steps. I’ve not made myself aware of them, have not read your beloved book(s), can only guess at the goodness so obvious to others. If we lived nearer, I would take you out to lunch and pick your brain. And Heidi’s. 🙂
Seems they would make six wonderful posts, if delivered in a way that would pertain to absolutely anyone. Or maybe they already do so pertain? Are they copyrighted?
Sure joining my prayers with those who are seeing you through . . .