Based on Jesus’ teaching in John Chapter 8.

She avoided the commons area, 
Knowing that they looked for her.
But this day her luck ran out.
She turned the corner only to face her accusers.

At the sight of her their voices lowered,
The mumbling assaulted her ears,
She looked to the ground, her cheeks burning red.
Frozen in place, her terror turned her stomach.

As the seconds ticked by, their voices rose in volume,
“SINNER! THE NERVE! WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?”
“Pastor spoke about this sin last week!”
“Yes, eternal damnation! An eternity of suffering!”

Tears began to fall across her cheeks,
As her mind echoed their words over and over.
She felt worthless, unloved, alone and forgotten.
She did not feel her actions or her life was wrong!

Suddenly a voice from across the commons,
“Didn’t Pastor also speak of love and forgiveness?”
“And if I remember right, he also preached on not judging and the sins of gossip!”
“Oh, and don’t forget Jesus saying, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.””

At these words, the pack lost their voice,
Silence filled the space as they slowly inched away.
Their hold on this precious soul lost for the moment.
Rebuked, they fled, ashamed, scolded and rebuked.

She gave a weak smile at the figure across the way.
The persecution had stopped for now,
But the harm to her wellbeing had been done.
A tear in her self-esteem, a gaping hole in her conscience.

God created all as unique individuals,
Each to be a special, loved and esteemed child of His.
But the hatred of these unlearned, bigotry people,
Had robbed another of their placement and standing.

If even only in her own mind, the damage was done.
We all should look in the mirror and accept the individual we see.
Then look across the way and appreciate those we pass.
Love and understanding, acceptance and recognition.

Hold her hand,
Hug her shoulders,
Squeeze her tight,
Be one with her.

Roy Richard
Sept 2023


John 8
King James Version
8 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Roy Richard
September 2023