It was a hot summer day in Magdala, and Jesus and some of his disciples were relaxing in the shade of a large sycamore. Suddenly a loud group of townspeople approached and threw a disheveled woman in front of Jesus. She was shaking and her face was stained with tears. The leader of the mob explained, “Rabbi, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses commands us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
Jesus was drawing in the dust with his finger and acted as if he didn’t hear the question. He appeared to be completely in his own world. Different members of the crowd demanded an answer of Jesus. Some of the disciples were concerned that something worse than the stoning of an adulterous woman might happen if Jesus didn’t do something to satisfy the angry crowd.
Jesus continued to draw in the dust with his finger for what felt like an eternity in the charged atmosphere. “The one among you without sin may cast the first stone.” At first no one said or did anything in response to his instruction. Some glances were exchanged. Eventually one person turned and walked away in silence. A second person left in a different direction. The others did the same.
Eventually it was just Jesus, the disciples, and the woman under the tree. Jesus stood up and asked the woman who was still on the ground, “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you.” Jesus extended his hand to help her up. “Go now, and leave your life of sin.”
This event made a strong impression on the disciples, and afterward they asked Jesus a flurry of questions.
“When we condemn we put our own souls at risk,” Jesus interjected. “The Father does not condemn. He has only compassion for his children no matter who they are or what they have have done. Just as the Father loves without condition, so should we. If we condemn, we condemn our own souls. If you show compassion as your Heavenly Father shows compassion, then you take another step toward becoming like your Heavenly Father in love.”
“The only way to show compassion as your Father shows compassion is to receive the Father’s Compassion into your own heart through prayer. When your heart overflows with Divine Compassion you will give it freely to each one you meet, just as the Father gives the gift of his Compassion to each child who desires it.”
Secrets of the Story
This story is a retelling of the story in John 8:1-11 (NIV). It also includes some details as described in a message from Judas of Kerioth along with my own adaptation of Jesus’s teachings in Matthew 7: 1-5 and Luke 6: 38-42.
We have been taught to pass judgment and condemn ourselves and others according to a wide variety of criteria. This activity is not just useless, it is harmful to our souls. When we pass judgment and condemn, we are not connected to God’s Love.
The cure for condemnation is God’s Unconditional Compassion. We have been trained by well-meaning people to play the soul-killing games of judgment and condemnation. And because of the dysfunctional buzz we get from them, most of us are actually addicted without even knowing it. Judging and condemning deaden our souls. These actions keep us from experiencing the warmth and vitality that flows from the reception of God’s Love into our hearts. If we’re condemning, we’re not loving. When we are allowing ourselves to be loved and to give love, we cannot condemn. They are mutually exclusive. One is a way of death. The other is a way of life.
Let us do our best to stop passing judgment and condemning anyone or anything (including ourselves!). Let us seek instead to be filled to overflowing with God’s Divine Compassion so that our own tendencies to judge and condemn may be cured forever. In this way we can bring healing and harmony to this hurting world!
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
I love this article. I hate it when I hear Christian people ridiculing people of other faiths. Jesus told us that as Christians we are to love one another and that means to love our enemies as well. I also love your photo. It is so symbolic. thank you, Judy
Thank you for your comment, Judy! Thankfully our Heavenly Parent’s Divine Love is freely available for each and every precious child to receive. We have been taught that what we think and believe is most important. But the soul came long before thought and belief. The soul is made to receive Love, to radiate Love, to feel Love, to be Love. The Maker and Lover of our souls is calling us to Love. May we each answer that call from the depths of our souls and allow Divine Love to transform our lives here and now and forevermore.