An Intimate Moment with a Woman Caught in Adultery

This is an intriguing story to me. Here we have the Pharisees going to such great lengths to trap Jesus. They actually catch a woman IN adultery. And they probably enjoyed the show as well. How are their hearts so hardened to what they are doing that they only see the woman’s sin and not their own? And where is the man she was with? It does seem like he was accomplice in the deal. It is an interesting point to me that they bring her into the temple, as defiled as she was. Their only job description lately seems to be getting rid of Jesus because they keep on doing the things that they would condemn others for.

And everyone puts such an emphasis on what Jesus was writing. Im under the impression that since it wasn’t mentioned that it wasnt important, so why struggle with it. I am also believing that Jesus was in the temple for teaching purposes, so why wouldn’t He be doing illustrations to go along with it?

The big point for me in this story is how there seem to be no consequences from Jesus for this woman in this story. Only forgiveness. I struggle with this. This is not what the church is teaching. I struggle with how Jesus acts and the rules of religion. I have been in church since I was born. In a Christian school and home since I was born. Forgiveness is a good character trait, but justice is what makes the church. Its been engrained in me for as long as I can remember. Reward the good and punish the bad. Love is only for those who deserve it or those who do what they do because they don’t know better. Oh no, its not an outward thing, its not what is preached from the pulpit, but it is what is preached from the pews and in the Sunday school rooms. How often do we let that bad teenager go – he never tries anyway, this just wasn’t the place for him right now. How often do we sit in the same “assigned seats” because we are too insecure to go talk to the guy who is a little bit scary. How often do we overlook the kid being picked on because we say that the other kids are just playing. How often do we refuse to talk to someone who is grossly different than us?

I struggle with love. How do you love the unlovable? How does Jesus love me?

I struggle with forgiveness. Why should I – they didn’t ask for it, they don’t deserve it? How does Jesus forgive me?

What am I teaching my own child? Not with my mouth, but with my actions? Who am I in this story really – the woman, the accomplice love, the Pharisees or Jesus? Who do my actions say I want to be?