Love

Devotion by: Rudy Chatlos

John 8:1-11

While Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.

Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and 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.’

This is John’s version of the story of The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery. For me, this is one of the most compassionate and loving acts of Jesus -- showing us the depth of God’s love for each of us. Jesus has no condemnation for this woman. He accepts her as she is. And yet, He sees more in her and reaches into her heart, asking and expecting her to live up to her potential. He says to her, “Go, and from now on, do not sin any more.”

Likewise, Jesus does not condemn the Scribes and Pharisees. He looks into their hearts and recognizes them as sinners. Then He simply invites them to cast a stone at the woman if they are without sin. Recognizing the sins of their lives, they’re unable to cast that stone, and they walk away.
PRAYER: Lord draw this sinner to your breast. Lift these sins from my heart that I, too, might be able to walk more strongly in the truth of the life You have given me. Amen.