John, The Love of God
The gospel of John is often recommended to new believers as the book of the Bible to read first. His gospel is a primer to learn about the unconditional love of God. John not only writes of the love of God, he teaches us, through Jesus, how God thinks and from what vantage point He works. God is merciful and kind. God is love. God extends grace when human minds least expect it and don’t deserve it. All these attributes are shown clearly and perfectly by Jesus, His One and Only Son.
This familiar story of the woman drug through courtyard and thrown at Jesus’ feet for judgement is one of those times when the attributes of God are displayed. This woman is accused and convicted of adultery. As women, we are prone to ask, where was the man? Could He have been one of the group who used her to trap Jesus? Mm.
So, what do YOU say, Jesus? Here are the facts: Jesus knows The Law. Jesus knows the hearts of the accusers. Jesus knows the woman’s heart. Jesus knows this is a trap. He does something that takes the attention off the woman who is trembling by now and He simply begins to write something in the dirt. We ALL would love to know what He is writing in the dirt. Our humanness and knee-jerk reaction would like to think He was listing all the sins of the “rock stars” holding stones ready to throw. But we really don’t know. John doesn’t tell us.
There are many ways this could have gone down, but Jesus displays the wisdom, love, mercy and grace of God. He gets up from the dirt and says, “the sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Then he bends down, where the woman is, and writes more in the dirt. The finger of God is writing in the dirt. He is now eye level with the woman. Could we just camp on that thought? He bent down to where the woman was thrown as garbage and lifts her gaze from the dirt to Him.
Back to the rock stars…they are now the ones trapped in their own sins. Can you hear the thud of each stone being dropped. Can you hear the rustle of feet and the swish of robes as they steal away humbled by God’s wisdom?
The woman is now alone with Jesus, Son of God. He knows her sin. She knows her sin. But the focused issue is now love, mercy and grace. The result is restoration. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” The woman looks up from the dirt and the writings of Jesus into the eyes of a Savior. “No one, Master”.
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
Condemnation was not why He came. He came to seek and to save the lost, broken and confused. How he did it shows us a glimpse of Who God really is….Love, mercy and grace.
How do we respond? Sometimes we self condemn and think we will never be what God wants us to be. Repent…and sin no more. Jesus loves us too much for us to go back to the life we once lived. We are redeemed! We must live this new life celebrating our redemption and allow His Holy Spirit to restore us to health. Get up from the dirt. Drop the stones of judgement toward others. Let us help each other live the abundant life fueled by the love of God.
Maybe what was written in the dirt was, “Love God, Love Others”, the two commandments that all the others are hinged upon.
John 8, The Message
To Throw the Stone
1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”
11 “No one, Master.”
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is enough to repent of our own sins to You and grow in Your love so that we might bear Your fruits of Your Holy Spirit. It is not our work to dwell on the sins of others or throw stones of gossip and judgement. May all our focus be on You, waiting for Your nod to serve others. May we do no harm, but only encourage others to find and follow You, too and experience your unconditional love. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 