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Backfire

It was a mean plot, a deliberate attempt to harass a woman and perhaps finally confound the Teacher.  The group brought her kicking and struggling against their force, and placed her right in the center of His class that day.  "Now, what do you say about this one, this woman caught in the very act of adultery?  Our Law from Moses commands us to kill her with stones, what do you say?"  It was a baited question from the start.  It was meant to trap the only Wise One, and elevate their own self righteousness.  But not  . . . instead, it ignited their own backfire!

His response was silence for some time.  He occupied Himself by bending over and writing on the ground with his finger.  At their insistence, He responded, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  Then He went back to His writing on the ground.  Backfire, once again . . . as they one by one left the scene.  


Soon, just the woman and Jesus remained.  He stood up and asked her where were her accusers?  They apparently had all left, as she told the Lord, there was no one even around her anymore.  Then with grace and compassion, He told her she was no longer condemned, not even by Him, now "go your way; from now on sin no more."  Backfire . . . expected death, instead new life!


Unbelief, short sightedness, and self righteousness will set me up for a backfire.  It really is in direct opposition of the One who alone is God.  Belief seems to be such a hard thing when we stand in the way.  Rather than trying to control outcomes and set myself up as the learned authority, I need to just be alone with Jesus.  Bend in His presence, honor Him alone, worship Him only and be grateful for the "backfires" He has allowed that have brought me to this place. . . 


"They brought the woman in as a captive; He questioned her as a free person.  They regarded her as an accessory to their convenience; He respected her as a human being.  They saw only the blackness of her past--'the very act.'; He thought in terms of her future--'sin no more.'  They were eager to stone her; He was ready to save her."  (M.C. Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, p. 141-142)



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