Being Fruitful
|
Posted: January 30, 2021
Author: Coria Brock James 2:13, NIV “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” |
|
Before I share an insight with you from the Holy Spirit, please take a moment to read this story in John 8:2-11 (NIV)...
“At dawn he (Jesus) appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
In this story, the focus seems to always be on “The woman”, and the lesson seems to always talk about how we are to “sin no more”. However, we should not just place our focus on her, but also consider the conviction that came upon those around her.
Those who believed that they are righteous and full of wisdom and knowledge (The teachers of the law and the Pharisees), in some way truly caught a sinner (the woman caught in adultery). They exposed her in the way that was without compassion and mercy, (making her stand before the group), essentially saying to Jesus, “Teacher, I witnessed with my eyes and saw what she did. I did not try to stop her before she acted, instead I watched her and made sure she did wrong. In the Law I can use all my authority to punish her (Moses commanded us to stone such a women). Now what do you say?”
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Jesus. But Jesus knew their evil thoughts, and He did not respond in the way that they expected Him to (Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger). When they kept on questioning him, he stood back up and said to them, “How about I tell you the truth, let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this word, those who were there began to be convicted by the truth and started to go away one at a time. The ones who had more life experience (the older ones) went first. This continued until only Jesus was left with the woman. Jesus stood up again and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither will I use the authority that I really have over you to condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Repent (Go now and leave your life of sin).”’
In this life, we have all been the one who pays no attention to the plank in our own eye, and instead looks at the speck of sawdust in the eye of others. We judge them, motivated by our self-righteousness (Mathew 7:3). And now we should know that this is not the way Jesus taught us, or the way that will please Him. Repent, knowing we all in some way we are all sinners against God and that He forgives us, so we should then extend this forgiveness to those who need it. Go the extra mile to help those who are in the wrong path, and do not wait until they have walked down it to accuse them of the wrong that they have done.
