John 8:3-11
As He was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Luke 7:36-39
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard He was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind Him at His feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” Luke 7:45-50 "You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.
i could just picture this woman... intruded upon while she was committing adultery... "caught in the act." i almost feel like her.
i see myself being dragged in front of tons of people.
i see them pick up their stones.
my stomach churns.
i cover my face in fear and shame.
i am afraid. i am so ashamed. i've lost all dignity.
i know what's about to happen.
i hear them ask Jesus what He would do.
i expect him to throw the first stone at me. i mean, He's so "HOLY" & i've sinned against Him.
but i hear Him shout above the voices of all of them.
"let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone"
i wait, im sure there's plenty who have sinned... but those who are most angry have done lived good lives and do everything right.
i notice Him bend over and write in the sand.
i wait face down on the ground in anguish for the first boulder to smash my bare skin.
i hear the sound of a Deliverer...
i hear him ask where all of my accusers are.
i look up into the face of a Savior with eyes of MERCY.
everyone else has left, their rocks lying dormant on the ground.
i realize all have sinned and fallen short.
and the MERCY of this man has saved my life.
His eyes are full of love, not excusing my sin, but longing to remove it- to erase it.
He tells me to leave and sin no more...
i feel like the sinful woman who anointed Jesus at the pharisee's house.
i have nothing to offer Him- save an expensive perfume that could buy me my dignity in another city. but i see this Man, this one who's eyes BURN with passion.
and i feel not condemned or looked down upon when He looks at me.
i know who He is.
and i know what i must do to show Him my love.
i enter the room where He sits, dining.
i cry, so moved by emotion.
i open this alabaster box of perfume,
i break it open and pour it over his feet.
my tears mix with the oil and a strong fragrance fills the room.
i wipe His feet with my hair. then kiss them with my dry lips.
i keep pouring out the perfume, i keep kissing Him, i keep wiping His feet.
i hear voices of those who don't understand why i am doing this.
but i keep weeping, continuing on with this act of love that no one will ever understand.
i hear His voice
i hear Him standing up for me.
i hear Him say that my love, my faith has saved me.
i feel delivered.
so i gather my rags, and i walk away- with an instant understanding that i am named Royalty by the mercy of the King of Kings.
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