Condemnation part 3
Condemnation never helps. It only hurts. Remember the example we looked at yesterday with the woman caught--in the very act!--of adultery. Jesus didn't condemn her. He gave her mercy and grace. And that's what empowered her to go and "sin no more." And, yes, its true that we don't know the rest of that woman's story. Did she mess up again in her life? Most probably. But what if we understood "sin" as unbelief, and not as messing up. I think if Jesus was saying, "Go and unbelieve no more," "Go and believe in me forevermore," "Go and believe in LOVE," then I think He had absolutely equipped and empowered her to live that life. By not condmening her. By showing her unconditional love in the face of a heinous act. He didn't kick her when she was down. Even though, under the Law, He was more than "justified" to do so. Instead HE stooped down to where she was... and lifted her up. I know its easy to attack things--and people. We seem to find it easier to tear down than to build up. But Jesus was a carpenter. He built things for a living. And in His ministry He took broken things and made them whole. He made the blind to see. He healed the sick. He didn't go around condemning people. Except, you know, religious folk who were keeping people from experiencing the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life that He so desperately wanted us to have. Jesus wanted us to have that life--HIS life--so badly that He literally gave His own life for us and to us. He wanted us to have it... so He gave it to us. He didn't make us work for it. That's religion--making us jump through hoops and fit into boxes. And that kind of external pressure never works. Not really. Not for any extended period of time. Because its what's inside that comes out. Always. What you believe is inside WILL come out. It has to. Its too big to stay inside. What you do flows from what you believe. And--I think I mentioned this in part 1--that's why condemnation can be so dangerous. Because oftentimes it DOES strike a chord with what we believe about ourselves. You know you screwed up, and then someone slams you for it... tells you you'll never be anything but a screw up... that gets in there deep. I've heard it so many times, "Well, I'm going to hell anyway. What's the point in even trying?" And that's what Jesus COULD have said to the girl. He could have told her how bad she was. She knew. Again. She had been caught red-handed. But Jesus chose the more excellent way. He chose to set her on the right path, instead of sending her further down the wrong one. Because, let's be real, I'm not saying adultery is ok. I'm saying... we have to stop condemning people even when they're in the wrong. If we want them to "sin no more," if we want to get rid of unbelief, we need to give people something to believe in. SomeONE to believe in. LOVE to believe in. A little bit of condemnation goes a long way towards wrecking someone. But a little bit of love goes a long way towards healing someone. What are we trying to do? What's the goal? Helping or hurting? Condemnation never helps. It only hurts. Love never hurts. It only helps!