Personal Weakness

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John 8:1-11
They kept demanding
an answer, so He stood
up again and said, “All
right, but let the one who
has never sinned throw
the first stone!” (v.7).

Last November, the news about Tiger Wood’s numerous extramarital affairs began to leak out.
It became evident that the golfer with the squeaky clean image wasn’t so perfect after all.

Since then, there has been a growing debate over whether or not the media is being too hard on Tiger.
Some say he deserves a public shellacking. Others point out that other famous people have been serial
womanizers. They question why the media seems to look the other way when it comes to some other celebrities’ sexual indiscretions, while Tiger gets trashed. John records the account of the morning when a group of Jewish religious leaders tried to draw Jesus into a moral debate (8:1-11). While Jesus was teaching in the temple, they brought in a woman who had committed adultery—publicly accusing her before the people (v.3).

After reminding Jesus that the Law of Moses called for her to be stoned, they asked Him what He thought
they should do with her (vv.4-5). John tells us that the religious leaders were looking for Jesus to say something
that would discredit Himself (v.6). If He didn’t condemn her, He would be disagreeing with Moses. If He was too
harsh, He might take a hit in the eyes of the masses that were attracted to His teaching.
Jesus brilliantly avoided the trap they had set by pointing out the sinfulness of the woman’s accusers. He
said, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (v.7).

Instead of discussing the moral failures of those who make headline news, let’s remember that we all have weaknesses—places where sin can more
easily infiltrate and ruin our lives. By humbly acknowledging our weaknesses to God and others, we can better avoid sins that will destroy us and our
witness for Jesus. —Jeff Olson

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Who can say, “I have
cleansed my heart; I am
pure and free from sin”?
(Proverbs 20:9).

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When was the last time you confided in a
Christian friend about one of your own
personal weaknesses? What happens when
we go into isolation with our sin?

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