Learning from What I Don’t Know

It is one of the most graphic, pointed, and emotional stories from the life of Jesus. It is in most of our Bibles but may not have been inspired. It is probably an authentic story from the life of Jesus that found its way into early (though not the earliest) manuscripts.

It is, of course, the story in John 8 about the woman caught in adultery. And, like many of you, I have questions. I want to know what Jesus wrote when they were trying to trap him between loving people and keeping God’s Word. As I ponder what Jesus may have written, I think about the lessons that I need to learn from what he may, or may not, have written. Maybe these will prove useful to you.

Did he write to himself? A reminder, perhaps. I wonder if it was something along the lines of “This is what you signed up for.” Or maybe “These are the people I am going to die for.” The answer? A bunch of religious leaders missing the point. An adulteress. For all of us in church leadership, it is good to remember why we do what we do. To remember what we signed up for when we are frustrated by others in our church who are missing the point and who do not get it. To remember when dealing with the messy lives from those coming to Jesus right out of the world. Jesus could have been writing to me.

Did he write a message to the woman? “I love you.” “You were made for more than this.” Our church reaches a lot of people from the fringes of society. Addicts, ex-offenders, prostitutes, alcoholics, and just greedy, abusive sinners. I need to remember they are made in the image of God. I need to always realize Jesus died for them. As messy as it is, they are being called by God. I have to remember that. And just to be honest, some of us have been her. Lost in sin. Guilty and ashamed. Maybe Jesus wrote something like that to me.

Or did he write to the accusers? “I love you.” Did he write their names? List their sins? I need to think about that also. Jesus loves the messy church people who sometimes forget grace and mercy. My church is full of those who love God and sometimes get off track. I always want to be reminded that I am not in the business of throwing stones, but in the business of living, showing, and talking about the grace of God—the grace I desperately need and want. 

Well, obviously I don’t know what Jesus wrote. And neither do you. But I do believe it is worth wondering about what I can learn from what might have been. It is worth thinking about things that make me a better follower of Jesus.