Writing in the dust

"If you want to avoid judgment, stop passing judgment" (Matthew 7:1).

One of the loveliest portrayals of Jesus is in John 8. Those who harshly judged brought before Jesus a woman who sinned. Jesus stooped, on the woman's behalf, to write in dust, on the Phari­sees' behalf, the numerous and equally sinful violations of those waiting to stone her. Jesus did not verbally pass judgment even on these so ready to condemn. In great kindness He wrote in the ephemeral dust their own sins. By so doing, Jesus left us a com­pelling and extraordinary ex­ample that He hoped we would make ordi­nary.

Jesus came to this sad and sore world...

not to condemn but to save;

not to break the bruised reed, but to straighten and strengthen it;

not to wound, but to heal;

not to punish, but to comfort;

not to stone, but to sooth.

 

Jesus came to reveal the very heart of a Father who looks on us with eternal love, not a God who finally demands His pound of our weak flesh. And He asks that we do the same for others. Especially in kneeling in prayer we write in the dust our hurts and others' perceived sins.