Shamers and Stone Throwers

“The teachers of the law & Pharisees brought in a woman...They made her stand before the group...” John 8:3.

Last night I was texting with a friend when she began telling me about a Christian woman who called her, and began tearing her down about things that are closest to a woman’s heart. I was incensed that she would be attacked like that, and had to experience the rantings of a modern day Pharisee. If you don’t believe the Bible is relative you only need to read John 8:3-11 and look around at all of the pointing fingers today. Some days unfortunately we are at the end of someone else’s pointing finger like my friend. Either way we have no right to drag others into the middle of our accusations like the Pharisee’s used to do.

Using His own finger, Jesus responded to these finger pointers who sought to shame her...to discredit her...to expose her. ‘But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger’ John 8:6b. What did the message say? For whom was it intended? Did it encourage the woman with love and grace... ‘I do not condemn you...Go now and leave your life of sin’ John 8:11. Was His message directly to the accuser...‘Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself’ Roman 2:1. Or was it a message for us all that cuts straight to our heart...‘because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment’ James 2:13.

No one knows what the message was for it was intended for those particular people in that particular time. What we do know for sure is that the only way to know what His message is for us is to do like my friend did and take it to Jesus. He sees us for who we are and not for who others say we are. When we commit our hurts to Him we will exchange accusations for grace, and a Pharisee for a Savior. It is in those private times when we are loved the most.

‘...only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there’ John 8:9.