By Pr. Rhoda Klein Miller
I was sitting in a café the other day, scrolling through headlines, when I noticed how fast we are to cancel people. One mistake, one exposed failure, one verbal slip up and suddenly someone’s whole life is boiled down to their worst moment. No context. No compassion. Just judgment.
That’s what makes this story from John 8 so powerful. A woman is dragged in front of a crowd, accused of adultery. The law said she deserved death by stoning. Her shame was public. Everyone knew what she had done. She was, in modern terms, cancelled.
And then everyone’s looking for Jesus’ reaction. He doesn’t join the mob. Or even defend her in the expected way at least. He kneels down and writes in the dirt, as if to slow the whole scene down. When pressed, He finally says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.”
One by one, the rocks hit the ground. The accusers leave. And suddenly, it’s just Jesus and this woman. He looks at her and says: “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Think about that. Jesus is the only one in that crowd who actually had the right to judge her, and yet He offers grace first. He tells her she has a future beyond her failure.
We need that reminder too. Whether it’s in our workplaces, our families, or even on social media, we carry shame. We replay mistakes in our heads. We brace for judgment. But Jesus doesn’t hold a stone over us. He offers us a way forward.
The hope in this story is that you are not the sum of your bad decisions or worst moment. You are not defined by the voices that want to condemn you. You are seen, known, and loved by the One who calls you into freedom.
So maybe the next time we feel like throwing stones—at ourselves or at others—we can remember this scene. Grace has a louder word.
👉 If you’re longing for that kind of grace in your own life, maybe take a quiet moment today to talk honestly with God—no fancy words needed. Or, if you’re curious about exploring this Jesus who offers such hope, consider connecting with a local church community. Sometimes the first step toward healing is simply not walking alone.