In John, we are given a wonderful story about grace. One that should tell us how we should act. It is the story of a woman accused of prostitution. The story tells us they caught her "in the act"; personally, I always had a hard time with that particular part, I mean, how does one catch a person (just ONE person) in the act of prostitution?! I digress. The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law brought her before Jesus. They make their accusation and attempt to make it sound worse, on her part, by putting in that according to the Laws of Moses, she should be stoned. Like so many of us, they made their plans then asked Jesus what did He think? We know the story, Jesus bent down and wrote in the dirt, they got mad, He told them (this is I think the high point of the story) "If any of you is without sin, cast the first stone", and that is made important by what He did moments later when they left and He asked her: "Who accuses you?" "No one My Lord." "Neither do I."!!
We are faced on a daily basis with people that offend us, offend others, they sin! They make mistakes. The problem isn't that they are making mistakes, it's what WE do with them! We (and I have to include myself in this, as I am just as guilty as anyone else!)have a nasty tendency to condemn them. What this story gives us is the best example of what we should be doing with them, not the mistakes mind you but the people. Jesus never made a mistake of any sort, He never sinned in any way. If anyone were capable of condemning her it would have been Him! He alone can stand from the position of perfection and say: You don't measure up! You're not as good as I am, now pay the price! Instead, He stood in a completely different light, He came from the position I am convinced we should!
When we are confronted by people's sins, especially the ones that offend us, We are to look at them from the stand point of: I know I have sinned and can't judge you. To look at them and remember my own sins and say I can't condemn you, I don't live a life that is without sin, so how can I hold your sins against you?
I believe that God will heal the pains left from the sins in our lives, but I also believe that He will NOT cause the memories to go away. The day we forget where we've been is the day we forget the Grace that brought us out! We have been given grace to give to others, this story shows how. When confronted with these problems, we are to remember where we have been and forgive them of where they are! Allow them to move forward also!
