Lets have a look at John 8: 1- 11
Is this the one time in scripture that Jesus is telling us to be totally self focused, to be mindful only of ourselves, to mind our own business?
I love this account of how Jesus responds to a group of Pharisees who bring a woman guilty of adultery before him. Could anyone have guessed Jesus response? You know when your watching a good movie, the suspense builds & you cant for the life of you work what’s gonna happen next or how it will all play out? What will Jesus say to this, what will He do?
The pharisees thought they had Jesus for sure this time – the women’s guilt was self evident – but as they push her forward full of their rightness and their accusations – Jesus bends down and draws in the sand “ as if He didn’t hear them” (verse 6 NKJV) No waste of words, no deliberations, speculations or discussions about the woman or the sin. Instead we witness Jesus’ mercy, compassion, justice and jaw dropping wisdom rolled neatly into one straight to the point – no waffle reply – He turns the tables on them all – the accusers turn and leave – wordless, all charges suddenly null and void, their own guilt now staring them in the face, they are suddenly the ones in want of mercy. Jesus levels the playing field – they are all guilty, they are all in need.
I draw myself into the picture – what side of the sand am I on – no doubt I’m the one standing accused, in dire need of forgiveness, guilty as charged, so grateful and so amazed to have one who forgives and shows mercy. I’m wondering though if He has made a mistake – “are you really sure, don’t you know what I’m really like, don’t you know what I’ve done” – my own worst accuser. As though not to hear – He gets the final word – “your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more”. I’ll grab that with both hands and not let go. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18
Then there is the really ugly bit – me the accuser, forgiven so much yet pointing the finger and passing judgment, hurt or offended or just “looking down my nose” at someone’s actions. Maybe I’m saying to God “don’t you know what their really like, don’t you know what they have done” As though not to hear – His answer to the Pharisees applies just as well to me. It shuts me up. My stone throwing is cut short. I’m reminded of Matthew 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Jesus levels the playing field, we are all guilty – we are all in need of His redemption, – Lets take His example to heart – let it be our base line. His focus was on the heart not on sin – we are here by virtue of His enormous love and mercy so lets aim for dishing that out to each other freely and liberally in the same way we have received it.
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.