“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. ‘Teacher,’ they said to him, ‘this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, ‘The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. When Jesus stood up, he said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

 ‘No one, Lord,’ she answered.

‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus. ‘Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.’” (John 8:1-11 CSB)

Here, the Bible reminds us that we should not judge others for things they do. Instead, we should be kind, forgiving and loving. Jesus, the only one who is perfect, didn’t even pick up a stone to judge. Instead, He expressed His great love for this woman, for us, by not condemning her. 

I encourage us all to check our hearts today, and every day going forward, to examine our motives for the words and thoughts we have for the people around us. We should ask God to reveal the ways we are judging people, the ways we are leaning down to pick up stones, the ways we have already thrown stones. Examine what we need to work on within ourselves that could lead us to express love for those around us instead of judgment. Let’s do the internal work so we can grow stronger in displaying God’s unconditional love in our own lives and towards everyone around us.

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