Compassion - not Condemnation

Tuesday February 3, 2015

An episode of the BBC show Call the Midwife, set years ago in London, tells the story of a mother who reluctantly prepared to have her unborn baby adopted as soon as she was born. She did so because the child hadn´t been fathered by her husband. And it was probably going to be obvious, for the skin color of the baby´s biological father was black while the woman and her husband were white.

The social worker handling the adoption took a condemning look at the woman and sneered, "By the look of things, we should proceed as swiftly as we are able." Moments later, she smugly remarked to the midwife, "It never ceases to lift the soul : the type of parents willing to take on abandoned children."

"I´m not abandoning my baby!" the mother replied. "I don´t have a choice in this!" The social worker snapped, "Isn´t it more of a case of consequences? So much less palatable than the actions that led to them." To which the midwife said, "Then let us be grateful that we are not faced with them. And let us feel compassion for those who are."

The midwife´s words brought to mind the words Jesus spoke to the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:3-11). "Didn´t even one of [your accusers] condemn you?... Neither do I" (vv. 10-11). Unlike those who had condemned her, He didn´t rub her nose in the obvious. Instead, Jesus offered her rare compassion, something that showed there was hope and a future for her.

Jesus didn´t offer a "soft love" that implied, "Do whatever you please". He showed a kindness that invited the woman to turn her heart and actions in a better direction : "Go and sin no more" (v.11).

Lives are transformed when we lovingly present the unfailing compassion of Christ (Galatians 6:1-2). - Jeff Olson

Read
John 8:3-11
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked 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."

Romans 2:1-4
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. Now we know that God´s judgement against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God´s judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God´s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Question to Ponder
What do you think is most important - pointing out someone´s sin or showing that person God´s love?
How has God shown you His compassionate ways?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue