Monday
But Jesus sees beyond the obvious to what is really at the heart of the issue. The Pharisees and teachers are not concerned about the Law, or this woman, otherwise they would have just taken the couple off and stoned them, they didn’t need Jesus’ commentary on the situation.
So Jesus sees through their intent and comments on the actual situation. He says “who here is without sin?” I love how Jesus always seems to counter the Pharisees’ questions by asking one of his own. When we spend our time looking at others sins and weakness, we stop focusing on our own mistakes. Jesus wanted them to look to themselves and see that we are not “holier than thou”. We too are guilty of sins. And no one sin is worse than another. All sin causes us to be separated from God. So the only person who had the authority and the right to condemn this woman (that is Jesus) chose not to.
What Jesus is telling us here is when we know someone is sinning, condemning them is not our place. Helping people on the hand is our concern. Do you think that Jesus’ sparing the woman her life, gave her new life? Do you think that she “sinned no more?” We don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that when we encounter the Grace of God, lives are changed.
We should do no less than to extend grace to those around us.
Serving with Grace
Pastor Kathy