I watched a clip from the Passion of the Christ video this morning; it was the scene based on John 8:1-11 where a prostitute was brought to the temple courts, where Jesus was teaching, to be stoned to death according to Jewish custom. As all the people gathered around with stones in their hands and disdain in their eyes, Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground. The Pharisees began to question Him about what to do with her, and Jesus just straightened up and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her,” and He bent down again and continued to write on the floor. At this, all the people, either conscience stricken or afraid, dropped their stones one by one and walked away until Jesus was left alone with the woman.
The part that completely pierced my heart was when Jesus stood up and looked around and saw no one, and then the prostitute crawled to Him and reached out her hand to touch His feet, but Jesus reached down His hand to help her up. He then said to 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.” Though Jesus did not condone what the woman had done or the kind of lifestyle she led, but He loved her to repentance.
This picture paints the kind of Saviour that Jesus is. He reaches down His hand to help us up wherever we are, not with condemnation in His heart, but with nothing but pure unadulterated love! He came down to this earth because of love! For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. –John 3:17 If not for this love, we would have no hope! Those hands of love are still reaching down to each and every one of us today. Those hands reached out to Saul even as he was on his way to condemn Christians. Those hands reached out to me when I did not have a care in the world. Those hands are still reaching down!
As I sit here with tear-filled eyes and a heart overflowing with gratitude, I wonder how many people I have thrown stones at as I condemned them for their lifestyles. I wonder how many people I have pushed away when Christ taught me to reach out to them in love. What if I could help them see His hands reaching down to save them instead? What if I could show them His hands through mine? What if I obeyed His command in John 15:12 and loved others as He loved me? Hmm what if?
Can you imagine what your life would be like today if you did not have Jesus? There are millions out there that are living that life. There are millions that have no idea what life with Him is like. Why don’t you show them? Why don’t you tell them? Why don’t you help them get to Him? Why don’t you let them know that all fear is lost in Him? Why don’t you share with them the hope that you find in Him? Why don’t you help them see His hands of love reaching down to save them? Hmm what if you did?
Grace and peace be with you.
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HANDS OF LOVE