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Jesus challenges me. Am I “sinless“?

If so, I get to throw the first stone.

Jesus challenged the elite religious leaders. They were right about “the law”. They were wrong about mercy.

None of them qualified to throw the first stone. They all knew it. They all walked away. Only Jesus is left.

Am I wrong about mercy? Do I get to throw the first stone? Am I good with mercy and compassion?

Here is the deal. While I am a notorious sinner, caught in the act, Jesus refuses to condemn me. Jesus challenges me to stop missing God’s goal (aka sinning).

The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.

Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”

“No one, Master.”

“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” | John 8:1-11 (The Message Bible)