“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11– NIV)
Every week we have a weekly routine of going to the local landfill to dispose of our week’s trash. On occasion we will miss one week due to our busy schedules. The summer months are the worst, the warm temperatures, the humidity level, just facilitate the decomposing process and the smell can be unbearable. I have been bestowed the honor of opening the cans and dumping the bags upon arrival at the landfill. Meanwhile, my little ones sit in amazement in the truck My little guy, Josh, is always eager to assist. He calls out “Dad, can I help”? If he only knew how nasty the stench was but for now I will protect his nasal passages. I have to admit that my attitude can be pretty stinky sometimes, I can be unbearable to be around, and it would be fair to even say that I don’t always make the best choices either. The trash turns my stomach and makes me gasp and hold my breath. I can only imagine what God thinks when he experiences my thought life, when he reviews my daily decisions, when he truly examines my heart. God’s mercy was shown to the woman caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders brought accusation and were ready to take her life. They wanted to trick Jesus by asking him to pass judgment. If Jesus would have said “yes, stone her”, He loses his reputation of being loving and merciful. If He says “no, don’t stone the woman” He openly breaks the Law of Moses and is subject to arrest. While writing on the ground, Jesus says to the religious group, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) One by one each accuser left Jesus and the accused. We are all accountable for our lives, our attitudes, our decisions, and our lifestyles. God is merciful, and He loves us. Let’s also remember a key point in today’s text. Jesus said “go sin no more”. God’s mercy is available and attainable to all no matter how stinky, detestable, or horrid we may seem to be. We must be willing to let go of our habits, hurts, and hang ups. We must be willing to stop making excuses and surrender our heart to God. Aligning our hearts with God’s, will revolutionize our lives and influence those we come into contact with on a daily basis. Allow God to clean things up today and get rid of the stench. “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy,…..” (Romans 15:8-9)
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