Take a moment to reflect on this familiar story from John 8 and see if you can identify with any or all of the characters found in it:

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:1-11)

What are the ways you need to be less like those accusers who brought the woman before Jesus?  Do you tend to be so concerned that others are doing everything right that you miss opportunities to learn how to live life God’s way?  When you realize your own shortcomings, are you convicted enough to change?... or just enough to walk away?

What ways are you like the woman?  How do you feel about that?  Do you realize how much you are in need of a Savior?  What does it mean to you that the grace and mercy He gives to you are completely undeserved?

What ways are you like the Lord?  How can you improve your imitation of His character?  How adept are you at extending grace to those who don’t deserve it?  Can you convict others without judging them?  Are you an encouragement for others to abandon choices and lifestyles that are not spiritually healthy? 

Father, help us to be less like those accusers, to realize how much we are like the woman, and to strive to be so much more like Your Son…