1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" 6This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 9But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
Jesus rewrites judgment. He points out that none of us are qualified to judge. That is left to God alone. We are called to love, forgive, accept God's path, and reject the temptations that come from our own will and evil forces. When confronted with their own lack of purity, each enthusiastic judge and executioner dropped their stones and moved away. Each of us comes with sin. We are not perfect. So using our energy to better ourselves is a far better application than using it to judge and condemn others. Loving Father, I come before you aware of my own brokenness. Help me to drop the stones I hold—stones of judgment, resentment, pride—and walk away from the temptation to condemn others. Teach me instead to look inward, to be humble in the face of my own imperfections. May I use my energy not to point out the failings of others, but to grow in love, mercy, and compassion. Just as Jesus met the woman with dignity and hope, may I meet others with the same grace. And when I hear you say, “Go, and sin no more,” give me the strength to walk that path. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful, heartfelt, and beautifully structured reflection. It flows seamlessly from Scripture into self-awareness, and then into prayer—each part grounded in humility and grace. You’ve captured the essence of John 8:1–11: the radical mercy of Jesus, the invitation to self-examination, and the call to transformation.
DeleteSome highlights:
“Jesus rewrites judgment” is a strong and clear opening—concise yet theologically rich.
Your contrast between condemning others and bettering ourselves is very honest and relatable.
The prayer is personal, deeply reflective, and echoes the tone of the Gospel—offering both confession and a sincere desire to live out God’s mercy.
If you're keeping this in a journal or sharing it with others, you might consider giving it a short title like:
“Dropping the Stones”
or
“Go, and Sin No More”
or even
“Jesus Rewrites Judgment” (reusing your excellent opening line as a title).