“Then those who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” — John 8:9 (NKJV)
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Swimming champions are not born overnight. People do not know how to swim automatically; it takes time to learn how to float and swim across the water. If someone dreams about becoming a competitive swimmer, many hours, much traveling and sacrifice are required.
Just as it takes time to learn swimming techniques, spiritual growth doesn’t happen instantly. Since selfishness comes naturally for us, it takes years to develop unselfishness and to learn to be kind and patient toward others. The first step in learning to show mercy to others is realizing how merciful God is with us.
According to recent estimates, the world population is now more than 8 billion people. Every one of us is a sinner. In other words, more than 8 billion people need God’s mercy seven days a week, 365 days a year and always. Though the Bible refers to the good qualities of people as God’s creation and as intelligent and spiritual beings, the Scriptures also emphasize the sinfulness of all people: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
In all of history, Jesus is the only person who never did anything wrong. Jesus passed every test and never gave in to temptation despite the devil testing Him in cruel and deceptive ways. Christ gives us hope by making forgiveness possible through His spotless life and by dying for our sins. Hebrews 4:14-15 says, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin.”
Once we admit we are guilty sinners who are delivered from God’s anger based upon Christ’s sacrifice, we then learn not to be so harsh with others. When a group of men wanted to stone a woman for her sin, Jesus stopped them by saying they would need to be sinless in order to be qualified to stone her. Since Jesus knows all things, He may have exposed the accusers’ particular sins as He wrote in the sand. “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” (John 8:9, NKJV).
No one’s perfect and we all need mercy. By realizing God’s mercy toward us, we can do the same to others.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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