I'll have you know that I managed to finish all the laundry yesterday, went grocery shopping at Trader Joe's (even though I had no idea what to buy and wandered around aimlessly for an hour putting random items in my cart), cleaned the kitchen, and made dinner. Oh, AND unpacked the overnight bag. The bathroom is a work in progress....
Despite feeling so accomplished when I went to bed yesterday, when I got to my office today and realized how much work I had I began having an anxiety attack about it. I practically had to go back and read my own words from the day before and remember to tackle one issue at a time. If I have fooled you into thinking that I'm wise, joke's on you! I'm so crazy, I can't even listen to my own advice. Sigh....
Tonight I have bible study with the teens, so one of my tasks today was to prepare our discussion questions. Let me tell you, this is SO hard for me. I am no biblical scholar, trust me. It sucks when you are supposed to be teaching people about the bible when you don't even understand it yourself half the time (ok, three-quarters of the time). Thank God for the internet and bible study books - I would not survive without them.
Lucky for me, today we are going over John chapter 8, which includes the story of the adulterous woman. You know, the one where the Jews bring Jesus the woman who was found guilty of adultery and ask what to do with her: to stone or not to stone. Then Jesus throws out one of his many amazing one-liners: "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7) Spoiler alert: not one person throws a stone. Jesus, who was the one person without sin, doesn't condemn her either and simply tells her to go and sin no more. Seriously, Jesus was so cool. And smart. And just all around awesome.
This has a pretty clear message for us: don't judge others. Furthermore, look inward at your own sins and shortcomings before you try to look at someone else's. While the message may be clear, is it an easy one to follow?? Not always. Maybe not ever. But if Jesus himself, the one human who ever lived without sin, does not condemn, how can we?? The truth is - we can't. We can't and we shouldn't. You never know what another person's situation is, and you can't judge their actions. One day, you may find yourself in their shoes, and if so, don't you want this to ring true for you: "Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be theirs?"
Now, here's where it gets tricky. Does this mean that we ignore sin? Does it make sin okay? How do we really go on loving the sinner, but not the sin? It's very difficult, especially in today's society. There seem to be two options: either you condemn (and therefore judge, are hateful, and self-righteous), or you accept (and therefore love, but become blind to sin). We are called to split the difference. As Christians, as people, as fellow humans, we are called to love everyone: Saint, sinner, priest, prostitute, friend or enemy. But, we are not called to ignore sin and it's darkness.
Like Jesus, it is our job to say: Go and sin no more! We were talking about the gay marriage petitioners that stand outside of stores and malls at bible study last week. One of the teens said, "I always just walk by them, and say I don't agree. But really, I should go up to them, and say: Because I care about you as another child of God, I'm not going to sign your petition. Because I believe that He knows what's best for you, and He doesn't want gay marriage. I don't judge you; I don't sign because I love you." We all agreed that the petitioner would probably be thrown for a loop! But it would be kinda cool if we all took the time to do that, right?
The fact is, none of us want to be chained to sin, to judgement, to hatred, to condemnation. And without sin, we are all free. Truly and completely free, and at peace. Isn't that what we want for ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and our world?
I do.
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