This Lent (February 18-April 4), we are following A Sanctified Art‘s “Tell Me Something Good,” in our worship and Church School. We’re looking at what was central to Jesus’ life and ministry: radical welcome, love for neighbors, care for the vulnerable, nourishment for the hungry, nonviolence in the face of injustice.
On this fifth Sunday in Lent, we remember how Jesus valued mercy over legality. Being compassionate and forgiving over being punitive.
It’s a famous story about the religious leaders about to stone a woman caught in an act of adultery (John 8:2-11). We don’t know anything about how this happened. Was she in an abusive relationship, desperate for love? Was she sexually assaulted by someone?
What we do know is that Jesus responded with compassion. Not only that, he challenged all of the accusers to look at their own fallibility, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.”
On Sunday, we’ll remember that Jesus teaches us that it’s more important to be kind and compassionate than to be right. What does that mean for each one of us? What does it mean for our society? What does it mean for the world?
In faith,
Kent
Image credit: “Epilogue” by T. Denise Anderson. Inspired by John 8:2-11. 14”x18” Acrylic on canvas. © a sanctified art | sanctifiedart.org
