Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes. He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears, but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. Isaiah 11:1-4
Then the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery, making her stand in the center. “Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. What do You say?” He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” When they heard this, they left one by one. Jesus said to the woman, “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. John 8:3-11 selected
My words…
Praise
You are the Perfect Judge, executing justice with perfect fairness. Human judges execute justice only from what they see and hear. But not You because You understand where the wrong comes from. You didn’t just see a sinful woman being encircled by haughty, religious rulers. You saw her heart, her past, her reasons, and they weren’t much different from anyone else on the scene. You showed the sinful woman her sin, and You showed the religious leaders theirs as well. If she were to be punished, then everyone should be punished. That’s fair. That’s just. You were the only one who had the right to throw a stone, yet You didn’t. Instead, You claimed her sin as Your own and held onto it until the sword pierced Your side and all was forgiven.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I encircle sinners in accusation instead of compassion. Who am I to pass judgment when I am only using my eyes and ears? I am a fellow sinner with no way to peer into a person’s soul.
Prayer for others
Today I pray for those who are being drug before religious courts, accused of breaking religious laws. The leaders are not without sin, yet they sentence the accused to death. The sweet smell of compassion does not permeate their courtrooms. Only the stench of condemnation. Strengthen the condemned and lead the judges to the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.
Thank You
Thank You for not condemning me! All other reasons to thank You pale in the presence of this one. It is of most importance. I pray I could express my gratitude in a worthy measure, but I can’t. I know You will accept it as I offer it. And I thank You for that, too!
More praise
When I speak or write to others, I often wonder if I am being understood according to my intentions. Did a reader misunderstand me? Am I being judged unfairly? Thankfully, when I speak to You, I know I am being understood, accepted, and loved. My prayer may sound like a jumbled mess of thoughts, but You make it perfect along the way.
