DAILY BYTE
Only two things were left at the end of this story – misery and mercy. The only problem is that when we find ourselves standing in this woman’s place, we often don’t hear Jesus’ next words. “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
Jesus says this to us, and we reply ... “Pardon?”
If we have heard many voices of condemnation throughout our lives, then sometimes those voices tend to live within. We replay them constantly on the tape recorder of our minds. Then, when God offers forgiveness, new chances and new life – we just don’t hear it! Those inward voices of condemnation drown out everything else.
We are NOT meant to stand in naked vulnerability and misery forever. We are meant to be clothed in God’s love and cloaked in his grace.
Finally, I guess we tend to think that when Jesus said: ‘Go and sin no more,” that he was talking about sexual sin. And I am sure he was in a way. But if the primary focus of this story is that the greatest sin is to pick up stones against others, then maybe that is what he was talking about too.
It’s like he was saying: “Woman, those who have condemned and wronged you, those who have battered you with their verbal violence, don’t you go out and do the same to them now, don’t go out and pick up any stones of your own!”
As we are meant to see layers of ourselves within the layers of this story, so we need to end up by seeing ourselves in Jesus. We need to move through a process of identifying with the Pharisees, to identifying with the woman, to finally identifying with Jesus – in whose image we are made after all.
This story needs to finish in us by beginning a new Jesus-way of mercy, a Jesus-way of refusing to participate in any form of hatred towards others, even the greatest sinners of our day. We need to carry around within us not sand to soak up blood caused by our verbal and mental stones, but the food and light of God’s love.
As Jesus brings light to us, so we are meant to live by going around and flicking on light switches for others. So the next time you come upon someone else’s failings, and are tempted to bend over and pick up a stone, remember that you also have the power to let them go.
For rather than living in the dark dungeons of condemnation and self-righteousness, we have been created to live within the wide open lands of God’s mercy.
So just let go of your stones, and reach for the nearest light switch.
PRAY AS YOU GO
God of Grace, thank-you for sending us Jesus the Light of the World. Help us to live by him, and to offer others the light and food of his mercy. In His name we pray. Amen.
FOCUS READING
John 8. 9b-12 NRSV
Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
