You've got to be kidding.
Some translations of the Gospel of John say that as the Pharisees were speaking, Jesus wrote in the sand as though He did not hear them. As though their concern and infatuation over her sin was not number one on His priority list. He also knew they were trying to back Him into a corner so they could condemn Him as well.
Straight up, if I were Jesus, I would have been really ticked off. I would have called out the Pharisees for trying to make me look like a fool, patronizing me by quoting Mosaic law, as if I was unaware of it. They would have been crossed off my list of potential small group leaders. I would have wanted to sit down with the woman and tell her that sex was created for glory and joy and she was not experiencing that joy, and glorifying no one. Then I would have handed her a Matt Chandler sermon.
And that's just off the top of my head of immediate reactions.
But Jesus didn't do that. He didn't react emotionally or erratically. He wasn't sarcastic or patronizing. He asked a simple question that required action as the only possible answer. He said that if you've never screwed up anything in your life, you can throw something at her. (Paraphrase of course - don't try and look that up.) And one by one, the Pharisees walked out, leaving the guilty woman with Jesus.
Has no one condemned you? Neither do I. Go and sin no more.
I bet He looked her in the eye when He breathed forgiveness and compassion into the stale air surrounding them. I bet small, salty tears fell from her tired eyes. I bet she felt like a ruby in His midst. Like a precious, sought-after ruby.
I think we forget too quickly that Jesus is eager with affections for the lost.
In light of the recent rumors of Jason Russell of Invisible Children being arrested, I just want to plead with you to have no stones to throw. Don't forget that Jesus has compassion for broken people, including those who mess up in public. You are one of them.
Instead of treating people like humans who make mistakes, especially ones in the media, we immediately slander them and everything the represent. We assume they've always had ill intentions or mask our prior support and say we were secret skeptics from the beginning. I think this is unfair.
I don't know Jason Russell or his heart. I don't know if he was really arrested or detained under section 5150. Maybe he was. I don't know the true effect that Kony 2012 is having on Ugandan people. Maybe some are angry and fearful. Maybe some are hopeful. But here is what I do know.
We are called to love, and love extravagantly. In spite of brokenness. In the face of our brothers potential public humiliation, we are called to compassion. You are called to LOVE him. Your slandering of this man on Facebook and twitter is an awful showcase of that. Can we just not make Jesus look bad this time?
Jesus had no stones to throw.
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