Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.

The religion scholars and the 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 first stone.” Bending down again, he wrote something more in the dirt.

Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The women 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)

The above is  a well worn story, told over and over and over. It’s ingrained in the minds of most people who have had an association with the Christian faith for any length of time. I wanted to revisit it because of the awesome sense of liberation inherent in the closing words of Jesus. What would it mean for Jesus to stand before you and declare that he does not condemn you? What would it mean for him to say to you “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin”? It would be easy to read this as a heavy command. Rather I think it stands as a statement that says “You are free, remain free.”

If this means liberation for us, what would it mean for us to stand before those who have wronged us and do the same – it may be a physical act where you actually stand before them, or it may be an inward act within yourself. Either way, it is an act of forgiveness. What would it look like for you to stand before those who have wronged you and declare that you do not condemn them and in so doing, offer liberation? Would such a move also mean greater liberation for you?

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