Early one morning, Jesus comes face to face with a juicy sin,
or rather, a woman. She had been caught cheating on her husband – an offense
punishable by death. She should die! Filthy sinner. She was screwing around,
using her body for illicit sex, violating God’s plan for marriage between one
man and one woman.
Here is a perfect opportunity for Jesus to show us all how
God treats sexual sinners. Ready Jesus? Bring on the wrath and hellfire in
three…
Two…
Wha---?
What’s he doing? He writing in the dirt? That’s very
unsanitary, Jesus. Everyone’s leaving! What about Slutsville McGee over there?
Wait, what? He’s just letting her go? He didn’t even get her
to confess her sins or ask for forgiveness. He didn’t even tell her about eternal punishment. He – he said he didn’t condemn
her.
I really love the Young’s Literal Translation of the last
thing Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery in John 8: “be going on, and
no more sin.” It sounds a lot less like something the Judge of the World would
pronounce and more like something your grandma might say after you were time
out. It sounds like something someone who loves you might say.
I was thinking about this story as I read a story onESPN.com. 14 members of the Westboro Baptist “Church” (the quotes are mine)
showed up on the campus of the University of Missouri to picket Michael Sam, a
defensive end for the Mizzou Tiger football team who recently came out as gay.
Two Christian girls got an idea to anti-picket, to form a human shield between
the West-burros and Sam. Two thousand people answered their call and stood
shoulder to shoulder – Christian with atheist, men and women, gay and straight –
to protect one human being from seeing the signs, from feeling the hatred.
Oh man, how much do I love that?! A story about Christians
and Gays that doesn’t give Jesus a huge black eye? Awesome!!
What an amazing witness of the love of Christ. Two followers
of Jesus refusing to condemn, with grace and peace standing up for someone who
could just as easily be punished for sexual sins. You know, kind of just
exactly like Jesus did.
Look, I know this is a hot button issue and you may have a
different view than I do. That’s ok. I know sin is a big deal. The sin in my
own life is terrifying. I’ve been memorizing 1 John and right off the bat, he
makes it pretty clear that anyone who thinks he has not or is not sinning is
straight up kidding himself (I may be paraphrasing somewhat).
But I also know that every single person alive, no matter
their sins, was made by our God. It’s not like he makes only the Christian
babies and outsources all you other people to Walmart. God loves the people he
made. And anyone who claims to love God must also love the people God made
(that’s a little 1 John again there for ya!).
Love is not proud, it is not rude; it does not make signs
claiming to know who God hates.
Love always protects.
Jesus replied, “Love
the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
– Matthew 22:37-40
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