Former Blackout Artist

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2

One of the hardest things for any of us is to experience genuine empathy for someone; to put ourselves in that person’s shoes and try to feel what they must be feeling, and to think what they must be thinking. And yet in the New Testament, we are called as Christians to show a spirit of compassion toward one another. If there is any sense in which the Christian is called to imitate God, it is at this point – to be people of compassion. Because were it not for the compassion of God, none of us would be able to stand before a holy and righteous God who has been so compassionate toward us.

It’s not that difficult to empathize with someone who is suffering and dealing with pain. But sometimes we resist the idea of having a sense of compassion for someone who is involved in sin and engaged in wrongdoing. It’s hard for us to feel any sorrow for someone who has done wrong. And yet, if there’s any group of people that we Christians should have the ability to relate to and show compassion toward, it is with those who sin. None of us can hold any claim to sinless virtue.  

When the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman into the temple courts one afternoon to put her on trial before Jesus and the crowd he was teaching, it is impossible for us to imagine the utter shame and humiliation she was experiencing. They had just caught her in the act of adultery redhanded and apprehended her immediately, bringing her out into the public to reveal her private sin to everyone there. It’s very likely that some of the people in the crowd knew her and were friends with her. And they’re there watching this all unfold, and some have to be wondering, “Where’s the guy? You dragged the woman out of the bedroom, but what about him? Where’s he at?”

You see, the Pharisees had zero compassion toward women. They had little compassion for anyone that wasn’t in their elite religious circles, but they were especially unforgiving toward women. That was part of their warped culture, to look down on the weak and vulnerable. And not only that… the truth of the matter is that they couldn’t have cared less about the woman’s act of adultery. They were just using her as a trap, to get Jesus to do or say something contrary to the law of Moses. Ultimately, it was Jesus being put on trial here. The adulterous woman was just an instrument for them to use.

“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?” (John 8: 4-5)

Jesus was always two steps ahead of the Pharisees. He knew what they were up to. And as he’s listening to their questions, he stoops down and begins writing something in the dirt.

Now we don’t know what he was writing. And that’s frustrating, because this is the only time in the entire Bible that records Jesus writing something! But whatever he was scribbling in the dirt must’ve had an impact. Some commentaries suggest that perhaps Jesus was writing down the sins of some of the accusers standing before him, and upon seeing this they didn’t want to be put on trial themselves.

Jesus straightened up and said, “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.” (Vv. 7-8)

One by one, the oldest to the youngest, the accusers began to leave. And then it was just Jesus and the accused; this woman who was clearly guilty of adultery, standing before the only sinless man there who had the authority to carry out the Law of Moses.

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” Jesus asked. “No one, sir,” she replied. “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Vv. 10-11)

Had we been in the crowd that day, what might our own verdicts have been as we watched it all unfold?

Is the culture today really any different from the culture back in Jesus’ day? Don’t we still look down on the weak and the vulnerable? When we hear about so-and-so having done something wrong and getting caught up in sin, are we not aghast and take to our soapboxes and self-righteously scream for justice? “Cancel them! Cancel them! Make them pay!”

The only perfect man in history; the only one who could rightfully stand on his soapbox and render judgment – he chose to forgive.

Shouldn’t we?