His mercy makes us nervous

Today Jesus demonstrates ridiculous mercy in our reading from the One Year Bible. We read the story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8:1-20. The teachers of the law think they've got a trap that even the wonder worker from Galilee can't escape. The law clearly teaches that this woman deserves death for what she's done. And Jesus doesn't deny the law, you might notice. He doesn't say she's innocent or doesn't deserve death. Instead, He gives us a gigantic lesson.

He says yes, she deserves death. But what it's easy to forget is that we ALL deserve death. All of us. There is none righteous, no not one. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He didn't come into the world to condemn it... why? Because it was condemned already.

He came into the world to save it. He saved the woman caught in adultery. His message saved those standing there from drowning in their own self-righteousness. And, let's bring it home, now. He saves us - you and me - from that same self-righteousness.

It's easy to look down our noses at those "sinners" in the world - drug dealers and sex traffickers and militant pushers of the agendas we disagree with - and yearn for God to damn them already. To punish them for their sins, because they're not living like we think they should.

And do they deserve it? Sure they do. They're sinners, after all. God calls us to holiness, and they're not holy. They deserve to be eternally separated from Him - and that's what we call hell. But... here's the thing: let him who is without sin be the first to send them there. Is that you? Me? No. Jesus could, but He doesn't. In fact, right there in today's readings He says, "You judge me by human standards, but I don't judge anyone." He came into the world to save it, not to condemn it.

Let's join Him. Let's extend His love and grace and forgiveness to those in our lives. Let's stop yearning for their damnation, and start working for their salvation. What do you say?

God, thank You for sending Your son so that, while we were yet sinners, He died to save us. Help us to extend that salvation to everyone.